What The Future Holds
by Alexander The Average
Summary: With the war's conclusion, the world as he knew it changed drastically. Things had become overwhelmingly dull for Naruto Uzumaki, despite his recent promotion. Even with the occasional mission, he found himself becoming increasingly laid back; his thoughts often returning to the past, and contemplating the future. His toughest battle was yet to come. (NaruSaku main pairing).
1. Prologue

Author's Note: Hello! This is my first fic in a while, and my first fic involving the Naruto series all together. I have to be honest, although I plan on updating this by chapter, I only know so much about it. I've planned a few chapters ahead, but after that, I have no clue. I warn you, there will be a fair amount of build up, and I do apologize if this prologue isn't what you were expecting. With that being said, I hope you enjoy it, and I also hope you go ahead and follow the story in order to receive any updates regarding its development. If you really want to (and it would be greatly appreciated), go ahead and follow me on Tumblr ( alexanderthesubpar. tumblr .com) for more precise and timely updates. Thank you and enjoy!

* * *

Early summer breeze slowly whipped through his spiky blonde hair. Despite the changes in his home village over the years, the seasons remained unaltered, arriving and leaving as usual. The sun slowly settled over the horizon; seas of orange and purple clashed, transforming the night sky. His arm remained stretched out across the back of the bench, which paralleled the stone path that cut the park in half. He had been sitting still for what seemed like hours, drifting in and out of thought. The smell of freshly cut grass and blooming flowers set a tranquil tone for anyone who passed through, and those who decided to sit back and take it all in, much like him, found themselves being intoxicated by their scent. The sounds of slowly flowing and falling water from the stream only added to the serenity of it all. Despite all the abuse over the years, the village still remained as beautiful as ever, this spot in particular being no exception.

It was early June; nearly nine months since the Fourth Great Ninja War had come to a close. The final battle was his toughest challenge yet, and despite the staggering odds, not only did he succeed in bringing an end to the conflict, but so did the rest of the alliance. Each village did its part, and ever since has coexisted peacefully. They have banded together in order to create a new world superpower; one that could unite its people without infringing on the lives of those who did not wish to be a part of it, nor did any harm to their new found way of life. This peace meant fewer missions, which meant each ninja had less work and more time to relax. Many of the shinobi found this down time to be a well needed (and well deserved) rest; however, to one Naruto Uzumaki, things had become too dull. Sure, his promotion to Jōnin was a bit of a start, but he was becoming too complacent, and often yearned to return to the days where he, along with the rest of team seven, would complete missions day after day.

Being stuck on the past wasn't necessarily part of Naruto's way of life, though the feelings of nostalgia would often come back. After defeating Madara, as well as a little bit of his 'classic Uzumaki charisma,' Sasuke had agreed on returning to the village. The villager's weren't thrilled to hear of his sudden decision, but after hearing of the deeds he did during the final battle, it's as if his debt to the village had been paid off. His return marked the beginning of a new era, one that the village hadn't seen in years; one that involved the Uchiha.

The rest of his team faired decently. Kakashi Hatake, having helped in the defeat of Madara and his former teammate, Obito Uchiha, was given a time of leave. At the end of his break, he was assigned a new Genin team. Although Team Seven would always see Kakashi as their primary mentor, Kakashi now had other students to teach, having successfully passed on his knowledge to one generation. Naruto had once peered in on one of Kakashi's training sessions. It was the team's very first one; therefore, they underwent the bell test. As Kakashi read his book, each member of the team unleashed a series of separate attacks in an effort to claim their prize, only to be outmatched with each move. It wasn't until after their lunch break that they understood the significance of the test, and fought as one unit. Although they still were unable to complete the task at hand, they did learn the most important lesson of all, earning them the 'Kakashi Seal of Approval,' which was signified by an extravagant thumbs-up. It was nice to know that, despite everything that he endured with his last team, he was still teaching the same valuable lessons he taught Team Seven.

Yamato had seemingly disappeared after the events of the war. Supposedly, he was involved in a tracking team which was designated to search and destroy the last of the Zetsu clones, which had supposedly been running amuck, even after their leader's defeat. His wood style was an invaluable asset in defeating them, and after a few months of traveling and battling, he returned to the village. Naruto and Yamato had often trained and randomly bumped into each other since his return, and to Naruto's understanding, he would also be receiving a Genin team to teach. Although Yamato preferred to utilize scare tactics when it came to organizing his team, he was a diligent leader and exceptional mentor nonetheless.

The demise of ROOT meant that Sai was now a free shinobi, now completing miscellaneous missions and mingling with the rest of the Konoha ninja. Although he kept close ties to the members of Team Kakashi, he surprisingly formed a relatively easygoing bond with Sasuke. They both enjoyed sparring with each other and training in their free time, most likely due to their collective and quiet personas.

Naruto was quite happy with his team's success, as well as the success of all his other companions. Each member of his group of friends had moved on to bigger and better positions. Although they were still a little young to be leaders of their own teams, many of them helped train the academy students. The students enjoyed hearing all the war stories from Kiba, all the strategic analysis from Shikamaru, and all the battles that the others had taken part in. The students had all heard of the Uchiha's legend; however, he never once showed up to these events. Whether there was some moral reason, or that it was too bothersome for the raven haired adolescent to partake in, Naruto was never too sure. Maybe it would be different for Sasuke, but whenever Naruto entered the classroom, the kids all became just as hyperactive as he once was. This was most likely due to the fact that Naruto was seen as the true hero of the war. As much as Naruto denied it, he was deemed the most valuable shinobi throughout the entire war, and without his assistance, things certainly would have turned for the worse.

There was only one other ninja that could spark the same reaction in those children's eyes. It wasn't the teacher of the blonde, nor was it his longtime partner and rival. Even the Hokage wasn't this popular among the students. No, the shinobi that was held in such high regards was none other than Naruto's other longtime partner and friend; Sakura Haruno. Although she too downplayed her role in the war, Naruto made it clear to any and all that "Without Sakura-chan's efforts, I would have been a goner!" In all fairness, this statement wasn't entirely inaccurate. Sakura was able to not only partially prevent Naruto's death, but was able to heal her Sensei and even Sasuke, who each played a critical role in the final battle, not to mention her own heroic contribution throughout both that battle and the early hours of the war.

Among her impressive battle record, she had accomplished so much in her life. She was the student of Tsunade, a member of what was deemed the "New Three-way Deadlock," a renowned medical ninja, and a star example of what a shinobi should do in a variety of situations; ranging from simple missions, to dealing with rouge ninjas who happened to be long lost love interests. Truly, she was seen as the ideal kunoichi; a force to be reckoned with, with brains only matched by her brawns, with looks that could kill just as quickly. As her name might suggest, Sakura had blossomed into a beautiful woman, both inside and out. Her short pink hair still remained as short as it had for the past few years, perfectly accented by her sage green eyes. Her purple seal, which was proudly displayed on her forehead, was not only a sign of beauty, but of incredible strength. Her physique was as petite and athletic as ever, only changing as she grew slightly taller over the course of the year. Since the war, she had grown about an inch, giving her just a bit of extra height. Naruto had also grown a tad, and although he still remained the shortest out of all the guys, he could still claim his vertical victory over Sakura. To Naruto, it seemed like only yesterday when he had to slightly cast his gaze upward to make eye contact with her.

He chuckled at the thought of how puny he was back in his Genin days; before he trained with Master Jiraiya, and before Sasuke had left the village. He was the shortest of the group, and had the loudest bark. Surprisingly, though, he also had some of the most bite (though both those titles could arguably belong to Kiba). He recalled many of the victories that he had savored back in the day, and recollected on the experience he gathered from his defeats. No matter what the outcome was, everything that happened, everyone he met, and every battle he fought was something to cherish, as it made him into what he was today.

Once more, the breeze caressed his face, waking him from his reminiscent thoughts. He had spaced out a bit, and despite his usually energetic persona, he found himself doing that a lot in the past few weeks. He stood up from the bench, taking a deep breath in as he stretched his arms away from his body, finishing his stretch with an accompanying series of groans. He casually began to walk northbound, directly to the exit of the park and to his new apartment. Jōnin level pay meant that he was able to afford a new apartment, and a few favors from the grateful citizens meant that his rent was being 'severely discounted,' despite his wishes to not be treated so specially. His new apartment was spacious, as it was designed to fit an average family very comfortably. He figured that, if he was going to be putting money into a new apartment, he wanted something comfortable and easy to maintain for the future.

Although living in fear of the future was a possible mindset for those traveling the path of a shinobi, Naruto knew that walking down that path would only lead to more than just unnecessary stress. Instead, he opted to put all his faith into himself and his comrades, knowing that no matter what would happen, he would always pull through, alongside everyone else that stood by him. Though, there were a few battles he was destined to take on alone. One such battle was that of past emotions and troublesome confessions. The question still remained just as unanswered as ever: what would happen between him and _her_?


	2. Chapter 1

Alright, so here it is; the first actual chapter! Hope you all enjoy, and please remember to follow either the story, my account, or my tumblr ( alexanderthesubpar . tumblr . com) in order to keep up to date with my progress on this project, as well as any other. Reviews, favs, and all that good stuff is always welcomed as well hahaha!

Thank you, and again, please enjoy!

* * *

The war certainly took its toll on the two physically, mentally, and emotionally. The tide of battle twisted and turned, often switching sides as quickly as it came. As rough as it was, both of them came out relatively unscathed. Blood, tears, and chakra felt like a small price to pay to be able to stand together today, instead of living in a dream world; a world of lies. The outcome of the war is not what unsettled him, more so what occurred during the final battle. The arrival of their lost teammate proved helpful to their endgame strategy, but not so helpful afterward. There was no denying that Naruto was happy to see his best friend finally return to the village, but deep down it hurt a little inside. For years, he knew it would happen. If Sasuke did ever return to the village, which Naruto swore he would, he understood that not only would he have his best friend back, but Sakura would have her love interest back. Nothing could truly be done about it, and although he hadn't heard much news about them seeing each other exclusively, the thought of those two together was bittersweet. Two of his most trusted, respected, and important friends would be happy, and ultimately, that would lead to his happiness. Countless times over the years had he been berated for his "idiocy" and his oblivious nature, but the truth behind that quality only went so far. Although Hinata was a prime example of his unawareness with social ordeals, he knew that, in the case of Sasuke and Sakura, no news didn't necessarily mean good news. It had to be blatantly obvious that Naruto had feelings for his pink haired teammate, and what she decided to do with them was up to her. He had a feeling that, in her quest to protect his feelings, she would try and hide anything about her and Sasuke from him, or at least until it was inevitable.

There was only one person Naruto truly felt like he could get information from, but he wasn't about to go meddling in other people's business. Despite the fact that, yes, meddling in people's business is often in the mission details for a shinobi, this was something entirely different. Worrying about her business too much often meant a scolding, a knock on the head, and ultimately returning back to where he started. Nothing could persuade him to invoke the wrath of Sakura, especially after seeing what she was capable of after the war.

Walking through one of the busiest roads in town, the sun slowly fading behind him, he took notice of the booming marketplace surrounding him. Shops were open, full of happy customers, while food vendors were seemingly worked double time to complete their orders. The smell of barbecue and ramen was tantalizing, to say the least, though he had decided to pass on a visit to his favorite eatery. The dirt path beneath him was littered with footprints from the day's events, the middle lane of the road being completely disfigured. He wondered how many villagers, shinobi, and even travelers walked this path each day. Each person came from another walk of life, yet found each other on this one mutual path in life, just to walk past each other and barely give them a second thought, aside from the occasional apology after bumping into one another. There was nothing wrong with it, but it was just another curious thing to wonder about.

Buildings shrouded the populace from the ever-growing night breeze, softly whistling through the alleys and over the rooftops. Over the horizon, a large patch of dark clouds slowly loomed toward the city. He had heard that there was a chance for rain tonight, as the winds seemed to be carrying a storm toward the village. Though he didn't doubt what he heard or what he saw, he decided to investigate further. Naruto stopped and shifted his stance a bit before leaping into the air. The amount of chakra he summoned to his legs and feet was enough to get him halfway up a three story apartment complex, running the wall the rest of the way up. Occasionally, he would get stares and the barely audible admiration from children who were amazed by the abilities possessed by ninja, or even from those who know who he was and what he had achieved. Back in his youth, when he first learned to use the trees and buildings to his advantage, he wouldn't receive much admiration from the villagers. Their admiration's were often replaced with anger, annoyance, and sometimes fear. Things had certainly changed, and definitely for the better.

With a few final thrusts, he made his way to the top of the building. At this height he had a clear view of the sky. Given its current speed, trajectory, and a few other calculations that Naruto could only be so sure about, he decided it was best to be home within the hour. The storm was approaching slowly, but steadily. Casting his gaze back the way he came, he noticed the sun had just about set, the sky still being filtered with a mask of purple and orange. The view that was set before him was good enough for a painting. To the right, darkness approached, and to the left, the light still shined admirably. He was sure that somehow he could find some hidden meaning behind all this, but that required much more effort than he was willing to contribute. If he was quick enough, he could commission Sai to paint the scene before him, giving all the time in the world to ponder it. Instead, he left his antics aside and proceeded to descend from his perch. He was almost home, and he had already done enough "spacing out over the view" today.

There was only a few blocks left, maybe three at the most. All he had to do was walk three streets down, and a house to the right, and he was home free. He would finally, after all this time out, be able to go in, lay down, and do exactly what he had been doing all day. "_Fun night for me,"_ He thought sarcastically. He remembered his Genin days being much more stressful, sure, but at the same time, the constant state of being busy meant that he was always active. Being able to have fun with the current situation was one of his apparently "annoying, yet practical" traits, so being out on low risk missions or being tied up in another matter was at least entertaining for himself and others. Ever since his promotion though, the missions have been much more serious, and although he had his fair share of significant encounters before his involvement in the higher ranks, the frequency of missions pertaining to more covert operations had increased, giving him zero room to display his goofy characteristics. A mission like that only came once a month or so, but the frequency of it was bound to pick up sooner or later. His opponents in recent times had been the usual lot: rouge ninjas, bandits, or just general troublemakers. Despite the simplicity of many of his opponents, he was required to take his role much more significantly than he had before, now being more in control of himself in order to remain hidden and, in a sense, a bit more anonymous.

It was missions like that which he always despised. There was no individuality between members. Instead, they were all soldiers from the same village, in the same unit, with the same mission. He wasn't allowed to just burst into a battle anymore and use his overwhelming resilience and power. Although that's how he opted to fight, usually in an effort to not only prove himself, but to also keep his comrades out of harm's way, he had to stick to strict mission protocol if he were to maintain his rank. It was one of those things that he wanted to change once he became Hokage, yet at the same time, his new found maturity had given way to more understanding and acceptance, and he understood why these protocols were in place. Besides, he couldn't complain too much. Although he wore the standard issue flak jacket (which he proudly displayed), he still donned his orange track jacket underneath. Finding a replacement jacket after the war was a bit of a hassle, and despite his friend's pleas to just ditch it all together and switch over to the regulation Jōnin attire (or, as Kakashi put it, "Something that made him look less like a target and more like a shinobi), he refused, and instead found a perfect replacement. His pants, however, were swapped out for a pair which was practically identical to his previous pair, only this time in black. With the flak vest on, his uniform was practically standard issue, as only the black and green was showing. Underneath the vest, however, his personality still resonated.

Only one block left. This last block is all that separated him from his home, where he would be able to shut himself off from the outside world and, with any luck, wake up to a new, much more exciting day. He was practically begging for someone to ask him to do something that night, but everyone seemed busy. He would rather read with his sensei, paint with Sai, or insult each other with Sasuke over doing nothing at all. As far as he knew, most of his friends were out on missions, whereas the rest were either preoccupied with other responsibilities, or were just not in the mood to do anything. Shikamaru had strolled past Naruto early, and upon interrogation, it was decided that "Doing something tonight would just be too troublesome." "_Figures,_" the blonde thought. As he rounded the corner, making a sharp right toward his house, his spirits lifted. In his line of sight was his apartment; Top floor, making it four stories high. His balcony was mostly empty, aside from a few plants he had purchased, as well as a pair of chairs he could use to watch the streets below or the skies above. One would have probably been enough, but he had acquired two of them just in case. He contemplated if he should just leap to his balcony, but before he mustered his chakra, he remembered that he had locked up every point of entry, the thought triggered by the blinds that covered the glass door. Although, yes, he was a shinobi and yes, he could pick a lock or find another way in with relatively no problem, he felt that breaking into his own apartment was a little foolish, to say the least.

The trip up the stairs was short lived as he lunged up multiple steps at a time. His eagerness to get home was confusing to even himself, but it showed as he made his way up the final stairs. He made it up to the landing that marked the halfway point between stories, quickly twisting left to travel the last half of stairs. He slowed his pace down, realizing that his night was at an end and that he should at least try to take in a few final breaths of the cool, night air. The storm was just about here, and many of the villagers had begun turning in, or at least hastily making their way to their destinations. Within another half hour or so, he was sure the streets would practically be flooding.

Half way up the flight, he noticed a little something poking up by his door. It was soft, straight, and pink, with a red forehead protector stretched over the top and down the side, the metal identifier shining brightly under the stairwell lights. As he moved up the stairs, his gaze traveled downward. Her sage green eyes remained closed as he traveled near, and her legs were curled up close to her petite figure, which was covered in her usual casual attire. She must have been there for quite some time, as her slouched position and drowsy expression showed signs of such a possibility. Naruto had to admit that, even though he preferred her usual active and cheerful attitude, seeing her like this was not only amusing, but adorable. As he made his final steps toward the door, he quietly addressed the resting beauty.

"Uh…. Sakura-chan," He said, his tone a bit hushed, with a hint of curiosity. "What're you…. Uh…" He motioned his hand out a bit, forming it into a subdued point. As his final words rang, she perked up a bit in her place, startled by his sudden intrusion. She quickly gazed upward at the blonde, a look of both surprise and relief gracing her expression.

"Oh, Naruto!" She said in a subdued yell. "Finally, I thought you were-!" Sakura was cut off by another tenant who, after poking his head out of his door, politely asked her to calm down.

"Oh, my apologies" She stated. "I didn't mean to disturb you." A sympathetic look of guilt crossed her face, and a faint smile crossed the gentleman's features.

"Oh, it's quite alright, my dear." The older man proclaimed. "I can understand your excitement, seeing as how you've been waiting for him for well over an hour." He faintly smiled, slowly turning back to his door and stepping inside, his final words following just before the door closed. "Don't let her go, kid."

Naruto was a bit baffled, at both the old man's words, as well as the sudden revelation he had heard in regards to Sakura. Although he couldn't inquire the gentleman over his departing statement, he could interrogate Sakura a bit. Before he had the chance though, she already began to explain herself. He looked back at her. She was now standing up next to his door. Despite her straightened stance, Naruto easily had at least a few inches on her. She had to look up in order to make eye contact, and it was something that Naruto secretly prided himself with ever since his return to the village all that time ago.

"I know it's a little…." She paused, keeping eye contact to a minimum and a small tinge of red crossing her cheeks. "Weird, for me to be here, outside your door and, uh, napping….. but I can explain."

"Oh?" He asked, slightly confused, but ultimately thrilled with her sudden appearance. Before, he couldn't wait to step inside his apartment, but now he thought he could spend the entire night just outside of it with her. "Sakura-chan, you know I don't mind your visits." He smiled, and she smiled back, relieved by the fact that she hadn't disturbed him. Despite his confirmation, he was still a tad confused by not only tonight's sudden turn of events, but by the fact that he had caught Sakura stuttering a bit. That was a first when it came to their conversations. He walked toward her, and unlocked the door to his apartment.

"May I come in?" She asked, her hands neatly folded in front of her, her questioning gaze being almost impossible to resist. Just for a little amusement, he teased her just a little with a classic line.

"Well, certainly. Just as long as we can classify this as a dat-" In an instant, Sakura's fist collided with the top of his head. She already knew where he was heading with that, and wasn't about to allow him to make fun of her like that. Although the searing pain wasn't so pleasant, it was good to know that not everything was out of order. Though, her swing had either gotten worse, or she took it easy on him, and the first of the two seemed more likely.

"Naruto, you idiot." That's all she said, a strict attitude being portrayed through her words. Whatever she had to say really had to be important, and he knew that keeping her waiting wasn't going to help his situation at all. Besides, he was not about to pass up on her sudden company.

"Come in." His words echoed down the hall of his house as he closed the door behind her, illuminating the room with the flick of a switch. With his interests peaked, he was eager to hear what she had to say.

"Thank you, Naruto."


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter two is hot and ready! I'm glad I've been getting some positive feedback, and the fact that I'm already over 500 views in less than two days is utterly astonishing to me. I really mean it when I say that, those of you who read my work (even if you don't like it) are absolutely fantastic. Those of you who follow the story, give reviews (both good and bad), and keep up with me on this website and Tumblr (alexanderthesubpar . tumblr . com) are equally as amazing. Without any of you, I would have much less motivation to do this, and I probably wouldn't be developing my skills as a writer the same as I am now.

TL;DR: Here's Chapter two. Follow me on websites. Thank you to all those who support me. You're awesome. Enjoy!

* * *

Removing his shoes just after she had at the door, the sound of her quiet footsteps grew weaker as she explored his apartment. It wasn't that she had never seen an apartment of his before, more so the fact that she had never seen an apartment of his so clean. Every floor was mopped and ever counter top was cleaned and glistening. Plates and other tableware were neatly organized and his used clothes were properly put into a hamper. To say this was an entirely new thing would be false, as his new routines and habits had started ever since he moved in roughly five months ago. Sakura was impressed, to say the least. She was expecting to walk in and see the usual: Ramen bowls littering the floor, along with scrolls and other mission accessories, speaking of which, she was surprised to see that he had invested in a storage cabinet dedicated to his equipment. Inside the case, behind two glass doors, two flak jackets hung, along with a collection of pouches, all-weather gear, weapons, scrolls, bingo books, and a listing of every completed mission to date. She wasn't sure if, back when he lived in his previous abode, that he even knew what half this stuff was, let alone where to find it and how to organize it. It was just another sign to her that he had changed, and she was unsure how to take it.

Walking down the hall to meet his curious guest in the living room, he could smell the trail of strawberries she left behind, each breath soothing him more. Despite the thought that smelling his longtime crush could be construed as something creepy, he continued to indulge himself. As he neared the room, one last thought crossed his mind: Could she really be considered a crush? Back in his early Genin days, sure, there was no doubt that it could be only a crush. Ever since Sasuke left, though, his feelings for her only intensified. Maybe in the grand scheme of things, the one sided infatuation could only be seen as a crush, and maybe he really didn't know what love was, but to him it felt to be more than just another boyish dream of his. Sakura wasn't just that cute girl that sat near him in class, or the beautiful young woman he witnessed transform while serving in the same unit. To him, she was more than any of that. He couldn't describe her without using the word 'perfect,' and that was all the explanation he needed.

"Wow, Naruto." She smiled, turning around to meet his gaze as he entered the room. She had been looking around all of the rooms, and it appeared she finally settled down as she flung herself back onto his black leather couch. In his mind, at least, the colors he picked out for the room matched perfectly. The furniture was mostly black, with a few odds and ends being any shade of stained wood. The walls were painted in an off white, giving it the appearance of a very light gray. Though the floor was a darkened wood, he threw a small rug underneath the glass coffee table, which rested between the couch and a recliner. The wall opposite to the hallway was divided in half, the left section being covered in gray blinds that covered his glass door. He walked past the sofa, taking in the last of Sakura's scent, and began retracting the blinds.

"I'm surprised," She continued. "Not only is your place cleaned up for once, but it actually has a theme to it. Your last place was a bit…" She paused, as if trying to pick out the most descriptive, yet least offensive word to use. "Bland," she finished.

As the blinds were shoved aside, giving the two perfect views of the vibrant lights that consumed the village, he slowly spun around and took a seat on the opposite end of the sofa. "Well, I figured that I could use a bit of a change, and with this higher pay I was able to afford all of it no problem." He smiled at the completion of his statement, to which Sakura returned. He smiled for an abundance of reasons, but the thought that things were really picking up for him, both in terms of pay and his night thus far, was the primary contribution. "As for the cleaning….." He paused, trying to think of the best way to concoct his rebuttal. "I figured that, if I was going to put all that time and money into impressing my guests, I might as well keep it clean!" He gave a chuckle, which was matched by a small giggle from Sakura, who was beginning to sit up in her seat.

Her laughter subsided, and her expression to returned to that of plainness. He hadn't forgotten that she had obviously stopped by for a reason; however, he desired to have her over without any sort of motive. He longed for an experience where she would wait for him just to be with him. At any rate, he was sure that the information she had for him wasn't in regards to an upcoming mission, as the significance of that wouldn't allow time for such pleasantries. He decided that, though he subconsciously regretted it, he had to stop stalling. "I figure you aren't just here to talk about my interior decorating skills, though." He said, a subdued tone of superficiality projecting his words.

"Ah, yes." She stated, her reply breaking the quietness of the room. Despite a little bit of rustle outside, from the people below and the winds above, the room was practically silent. The clicking of a clock and the slow turning of a fan were all the ambient noises that remained. He was half tempted to turn a radio on or continue showing off the rest of the rooms, though he knew that, once again, there was no point in delaying her any further. She continued slowly, stuttering and picking her words with care. "This is going to sound a little…. Odd, to say the least, but I think it needs to be said."

"Sakura-chan, what do you me-"

"I'm not finished," she quickly interjected. He should have known better than to interrupt Sakura, as he was sure that she didn't appreciate the redundancy of him asking what she was about to explain. He figured it was best to shut up, or at least for now. "I've talked it over with everyone- or, rather, everyone that we call close. We think you've been acting strange recently, and we are a little…" She stopped, continuing to avert her gaze as he questionably stared into her. Her face was serious, but her eyes told a different story. They were empty; a true sense of anxiety and worry staining them. He hated seeing it like this, especially over him. "Worried, to say the least. We decided that it would be best for me to talk to you, so, here I am."

"Uh, worried, Sakura-chan? About what?" He was a little skeptical, but figured she was just exaggerating. Whatever it was, he would refute the claim, not just to calm her down and to stop concerning his friends, but because he truly felt fine. He didn't feel banged up at all, as his last mission went smoothly, which meant that for once he received no injuries during his time away. He hadn't missed any check-ups and hadn't been sleeping in or getting sick, and every briefing and debriefing was done on time and as quickly as possible, so there was no real basis for their assumptions. Though he was flattered that they were so worried about him, he was happier to be able to tell them that he was at no risk.

"Ever since the war, Naruto, you've changed a bit." She started, her eyes finally meeting his. Her expression went from bland to worry in an instant, or at least, ever since he got a full glimpse of her features. She shifted in her seat a bit, inching a little closer. Her hand slowly crept out and touched his, which rested on the couch in an effort to stabilize him. "At times, I get to see the old you, like at the door when you made the joke about the date, but just about every other time I see you, you just act different. You're quieter, more aware, and I've read reports that during your missions you've become increasingly concentrated and accelerated. You've been setting astonishing completion times and success rates, which is fantastic, but it just seems odd."

"Sakura-chan, are you worried just because I've matured a bit?" He chuckled a bit at the end in an effort to sooth her a bit, a smile crossing his features as he rubbed the back of his neck with his unoccupied hand. "I mean, I'll admit I've matured quite a bit since the war, but I'm still the same old me underneath!"

"That isn't what I mean, Naruto." Her voice, though he expected it to be, wasn't stern at all. If anything, it was even more concerned. Maybe she became even more concerned over the fact that, apparently, he still wasn't getting it. "Look, since the war, many of the shinobi in our generation have matured as well. We all have new jobs, new teams, and new responsibilities to undertake. I get it entirely, and as a matter of fact, I enjoy the 'mature' you a bit." She tried to smile at the end, but it quickly faltered.

"Well, I don't really see the issue then." He didn't mean to sound like an incompetent fool, better known as an ass, but he didn't know how else to put it. He just didn't get it. The tightening of her grip around his hand somewhat signaled that he better start getting it soon, or she may beat it into him. Then again, this Sakura seemed to be a little bit past that. She was genuinely worried about him, and, as evident by his previous "lightened" whack on the head, she was really trying to get something through to him.

Just as her grip had, she tensed up a bit, her voice picking up in both tempo and volume. "Naruto, listen to me. I'm glad you've grown up a bit and moved on, but that isn't the point I- no, we are trying to make. Sai, Kakashi-sensei, even Sasuke have all noticed it. You're different, and it's troubling. All you do now is….." She briefly paused in an effort to summarize her findings "Sit."

"Huh? Sit?" He asked quizzically.

"You've become lazier than Shikamaru, or at least ninety percent of the time you have." She exclaimed, her voice remaining at its heightened state. "You constantly zoom out, sometimes losing a grip on what's going on around you." Once again, she moved closer, now only a few inches away from him. His cheeks heated up, and he could have sworn a little redness began to swell in hers as well. With her increase in proximity, she toned down a bit. "Look, something is bothering you and we can all tell. There's a difference between maturity and depression. I'm here to find out what and why."

He sighed a bit, disregarding her subtle hints as he stood up from the couch, softly breaking off their contact. He walked toward the glass door, peering out over the street. He was a little disappointed in himself, to say the least. He had been acting differently recently, but he didn't think there was much of a hidden meaning to it. He figured it was because of the dullness of his daily routine now, or maybe because he was trying his best to adjust to his new lifestyle, but there was one other option that he refused to explore, though made plenty of sense.

The stress he placed upon himself in regards to Sasuke and Sakura was enough to swing his mood. What disappointed him most weren't his feelings, though that was certainly part of it, but more so the fact that his selfish actions (or lack of action) concerned his peers that much, especially since it was over something that he truly had to deal with himself. He said, on numerous occasions, that he had to "do it alone," a prime example being his battle with Pain, but this was different. Those times, he did it to protect everyone, whereas this time, he did it because he really was the only one who could sort this out. He believed that, no matter how much anyone wished to involve themselves in his life and deepest affairs, they wouldn't be able to help them.

"Sakura-chan, depression seems a bit dramatic, don't you think? Please don't worry about me." His smile was only faintly visible to her in the reflection of the glass door. "I'm flattered that all of you are so concerned about me, but don't waste the time. I can handle myself now." The way the words left his mouth contained zero malice, but could, and was, easily interpreted that way. Sakura rose from her seat and walked toward him.

"Naruto, enough of this 'tough guy' act already." She said, her stern attitude finally returning. "There is something wrong, and I'm going to help you, along with everyone else. You've protected all of us; saved us all from a world filled with nothing but lies. Not just the 'infinite tsukuyomi,' but this very world we live in. Over the years, you've shown us what it means to be a ninja, what it means to fight beyond people's expectations, and what it means to be a hero. You proved this to everyone. The shinobi world looks up to you with such admiration. I know in the past I haven't been much good at it, but.." She paused, only a foot away. "The least I can do for you now…" She paused once more, stopping in her tracks.

Her arms came up and wrapped him from behind, enveloping him into a tight embrace. The feeling of warmth that radiated between the two pleasantly surprised each other as they both became intoxicated with each other's touch. The sweet scent of strawberries once more returned, and Naruto found himself in a trance, just as he had many times before. With a slightly muffled voice, she finally finished after she too took a moment to take it all in.

"….The least I can do for you know is protect you." Her hands tugged on his jacket tighter as she leaned into the embrace further. "Not from others, but from yourself."

* * *

I usually don't do post-chapter notes, but I decided I should on this one. Seeing as this is Naruto and Sakura's first major interaction in the fic, I want to know what you all think of it. Honestly, it was interesting writing them both out and then being able to choose the direction that the story would take. I have a few options in mind, but fr now I felt that this was the best route to take. What did you all think? Let me know!


	4. Chapter 3

Alright, so here it is. After my last chapter, I received tons of feedback, and I am pleased that there are so many people that enjoy my work. I am also glad that there are so many people that care about my progress as a writer. I tried to really take in and practice a majority of the critique that I received, and I do apologize if it looks like I didn't try hard. I'm attempting to work on my style and my "bad habits," and I feel like, though it isn't perfect, I have made progress. In all honesty, I enjoy my imperfections. I guess, as dumb as this may sound, it somewhat makes my work that much more unique. It gives me a way to give my pieces personality. Hahahaha well, enough ranting. Here it is: Chapter 3. I really hope you do enjoy and, please, continue to follow my story.

* * *

Confusion and temptation swept through his body, taking a moment to make a decision. What was he to do about this? It wasn't more than minutes ago that his night was going exactly as he planned it. Granted, he had wished for something to do, but he figured that for now on he should really take note of the phrase 'be careful what you wish for.'

On one hand, he wished to spin around on his heels and meet her emerald eyes with his own cerulean gaze, and let out all the pent up emotions he still harbored. He could go on and on with her about how he felt in regards to her and Sasuke, how he's felt about her over all these years, and finally, how he had been feeling about her in recent times, but he knew his words would do him no justice. The only way that he could truly summarize his feelings is by one swift action; an action that would most likely result in him receiving more than just a whack on the head and a scolding. As much as he wanted to just bend down and introduce their lips, he was unsure of what his sudden action could invoke.

On the other hand, he felt that what was transpiring was all wrong. It was now entirely possible to him that she could have feelings for him, and not just Sasuke, but that was only a hunch. Despite some of her more 'violent' traits and past occurrences, deep down Sakura was as kind hearted as anyone he had ever met. Her tough exterior and adhesion to protocol was often betrayed by her tender emotions and expressive nature. To say she was overdramatic would be an exaggeration, though. Although her emotions had occasionally gotten the better of her, she had matured greatly over the years. She knew if and when to display that side of her, and when to accept the facts and carry on. She was strong like that. She possessed a strength that he had only seen once before in his life. Albeit it was a brief experience, Sakura was eerily similar to his own mother. She was gentle, yet rough; progressive, yet stubborn. It was an odd equilibrium, but either way, it mixed into a beautiful person. To see it reincarnated into the girl of his dreams was just that; dreamy.

He had to make a decision, though. Should he accept her proposal, or instead continue to protect her? He had almost no time to think, though time seemed to come to a halt. As he continually stared out the window, small droplets began to speckle the glass, and roll down to the bottom of the view. The storm had finally arrived, and it only signaled the urgency he had to make in his decision.

"Naruto…." A muffled voice came from behind. He hadn't forgotten about the pinkette behind him, rather, he allowed his thoughts to captivate himself on her once more, causing him to space out longer than he intended; just like all those times before, including the park earlier that day.

"Are you still with me?" She continued. He felt her grip loosen just a bit. "It shouldn't be that hard to process, Naruto. I want to help you. Everyone does. We don't know what's wrong, but we want to find out. I'm here to help, but I need you to accept that help first."

That was it. He couldn't stall any longer. He easily broke her loosened grip and spun around, putting part one of his plan in action. He raised his hands, placing them on her shoulders, which tensed up at his sudden movement. She looked up at him with a shocked, yet innocent expression. He could tell that she wasn't afraid, or at least at his actions. She knew that he would never hurt her physically. What worried her was his answered; her fear showing right through her.

"Sakura, I-" He paused once more, thinking of the best way to dismantle the situation without causing too much harm to their relationship, as well as their social and team dynamic. He gave out a sigh, and pressed on, only so certain with his choice of rebuttal. "Look out the window."

"What? Naruto, I don't see what that has to do with-"

"Look." He said, moving out of the way. She walked up to the glass, resting her hands on the window sill. She peered out the window, scanning the streets and the rooftops. Nothing.

"I don't get-"

"Look," He pointed at the clouds looming overhead. "It's about to rain, and it looks pretty bad. You should head home." He spun around once more, expecting her to follow him down the hall and toward the door. Instead, that recently recalled stubborn nature of hers came out once more.

"Naruto!" She exclaimed, apparently annoyed with his sudden diversion. "I'm not leaving until I get an answer from you. Do you even understand what I'm trying to do here?"

"Do you even understand what _I'm_ trying to do here?" He replied, his attitude becoming more serious than intended. "I'm trying to get you home before you get rained out, or you get sick, or anything that could happen out there. I don't want any of that to be over something silly, like me. I'd get going. We can chat about this another time."

"God damn it, Naruto!" Her voice now echoed through the room in a shout, a sudden flash of lightning and boom of thunder being the only other stimulation to their senses. "It can pour down on me, the thunder can barely miss me, and I can get sick all next week, but I am not leaving this house until I get you to understand what's going on!"

"Sakura-chan, please." He pleaded with his hands raised in defense. "Do you want my neighbors to get mad at me? It's starting to get late, you know. Some of us have to be up early tomorrow, including me."

"To do what?" She asked, a sudden realization of her volume finally crossing her mind. She reduced her tone to a much more subdued, yet equally as potent expression. "So you can wake up and sit on a bench all day again? I've already read the reports for this week; you aren't scheduled for any missions. Unless one happens to come up tomorrow, I highly doubt you'll end up doing anything productive."

"Sakura-chan, please." He motioned toward the door once more. "If I'm off tomorrow, then we have all the time in the world to discuss this. Please, I want you to leave." The last words stung his mouth, making him regret everything he was saying.

For starters, even though he had nothing planned for the following day, he still did not wish to discuss this with her. He probably did owe her an explanation, but he couldn't think of how to even begin explaining it all, so stalling was his best option thus far. Also, asking Sakura to leave was like asking him to never have ramen again. It was practically unthinkable that he would ever ask her to leave, but right now he just couldn't deal with it. He had to get her moving.

Sakura sighed, her anger slowly being released through her controlled breathing. A few moments passed, which felt like an eternity. A few flashes of light peered through the window as the storm gradually picked up in aggressiveness. Within moments, it went from a heavy shower to a torrential downpour.

"Fine, Naruto. You win." She walked toward the door, and he followed behind. "Well, for now that is."

"Sakura-chan, I think you need to give it a rest." Before he could continue, she cut him off.

"I think you need to get it through your head that I am not going to give up so easily." She said, turning around as she reached the door. She bent over and began putting her boots back on. She was in no rush to get home, as she knew either way, she was doomed to be soaking wet. "Just please, do me a favor. Think about it." She stood up, placing her hand on his chest.

"Think about yourself for once. Think about everything you've worked for. Think about….." She stopped, glancing up straight into his widened eyes. "Think about us." She said, moving her hand over his heart, only to let it slowly slide down to her side.

She opened the door, the sound of rain clashing against the buildings amplifying as she did so. They both looked out at the condition with a bit of contempt; He was upset at himself for making her walk through that, where as she was upset at the fact the she had to walk through that, going home with no information and no answers. It was a truly depressing scene she painted for herself.

"The one day I forget to bring an umbrella, right?" Sakura said in an attempt to lighten the already gloomy mood. Her eyes glanced up at him once more, and her gaze left as quickly as it came. She stepped out the door and began walking toward the steps. Although she was in cover for now, it was only a matter of time before she had to battle the elements.

A little guilt swept over his senses as he watched her until she was out of view, though he knew that he had to remain resilient. Although it hurt him to do this, he knew that giving her an answer would've only added insult to injury, as she would be walking home with empty hands and an empty heart. Before he closed the door, he glanced back toward his neighbors door, the black numbers blending well with the darkened wood, making it hard to read the digits.

"_I'll have to properly apologize to him about the disturbance in the morning,"_ he thought. He recollected back to the previous exchange the old man had with Sakura, thinking of how she handled it, taking mental notes of her approach. As he scanned his memories, he thought of the old man's closing words.

_"Don't let her go, kid."_ Those words resonated through him, relating back to what he just did. What he said made sense, and although that man must have assumed they were dating or actually romantically involved, maybe it still applied. Although his words may have had some deeper meaning, Naruto made the conclusion that no matter what, Sakura was his comrade, and he just casted her aside like nothing. What he just did was not only foolish, but contradictory to everything he was ever taught, and what he strived to be as a ninja. Even his sensei would be offended by his actions, despite whatever explanation he could conjure up.

Before he could even contemplate the negative ramifications of his actions, he ran out the door barefoot, his jacket being the only piece of 'weather resistant' gear on. He ran down each flight of stairs, jumping as he reached the last few steps on each flight, his feet taking a beating with each impact with the concrete floor. He made it out onto the street, the rain beating down on him. He scanned left, then right. She was nowhere to be found. At this point, he wondered if chasing her any farther would be worth it. She would be home in no time, as she was most likely running through the streets, using whatever cover she could. He sighed at his recent failure, contemplating what to do next as he stared down at his bare feet. "_Well,_" he thought. "_The obvious choice is to turn around and_-"

"Looking for something, Naruto?" Her voice startled him, breaking him from his thoughts. He rapidly turned around, only to spot Sakura standing right underneath the awning that covered the entrance to his apartment complex, just as dry as she was when she left.

"Sakura-chan, why are you just standing there?" He spun around, not even bothering to step out of the rain. He was so baffled as to why she hadn't even left his apartment complex.

"I had a feeling that you would run down after me." She crossed her arms in front of her chest, giving off a small pout. "Have something to say to me?"

He felt a little tricked, and that he should just walk back up to his apartment without a word, just to get on her case a little more, but he didn't come all this way for nothing.

"Yeah, ugh, Sakura-chan…" He scratched his cheek a bit out of nervous habit. He wasn't exactly sure how to ask this, but it was worth a shot.

"I've got a big apartment, and I've got plenty of rooms and an extra bed and all, and I just stocked up at the grocery store the other day, so… Uh….. would you… I mean, since it's raining and all…" '_Unbelievable_' was the only way to describe his predicament. He was the savior of the shinobi world, yet he couldn't even speak straight to Sakura, especially after being around her all these years. He's faced plenty worse, that's for sure. He knew he didn't stutter when he fought Madara.

Sakura only broke out in laughter at his apparent foolishness. He stared at her in bewilderment, unable to comprehend what was so funny.

"Yes, Naruto." She replied. "I'd like to stay with you tonight. It beats walking home in this rain." She smiled at him wholeheartedly, which was returned by him, along with a sheepish expression, further accented by the rubbing of his neck; another nervous habit of his.

"Now that you've started coming around to your senses, let's get you to understand something." She said, completely catching Naruto off guard. Was this really her goal? Did she really want to start back up, here and now, especially after he just invited her to stay with him?

"If you keep standing out there in the rain, you're gonna be all wet and probably sick tomorrow." She said, finishing her statement by using her hand to call him toward her. "If that happens, then you'll definitely be forced to be around me all day." She continued to smile, apparently still amused by Naruto's antics. He was glad she had temporarily broken away from their previous topic. He predicted that she would, in no time at all, bring up said topic once more, for now he was glad that she dropped it. With any luck, it would make the night much more enjoyable.

Although he was a little embarrassed at his own obliviousness, and the way she somewhat tricked him, he was glad to see a bit of their dynamic still living on between them. He smiled back at her, following her into the complex and up the stairs, dripping the entire way there. As they made it to his door, he noticed that in his rush he completely forgot to close it. She noticed as well, also taking note of the fact that he left without even putting his shoes on. She sighed, giving a classic rebuttal.

"As reckless as ever." She said, giggling at the thought.

Naruto once more followed her into his apartment. As she sat down to take off her shoes the second time that night, he closed the door behind them.

"Welcome back, Sakura-chan."


	5. Chapter 4

A/N: I'm feeling pretty accomplished, since I'm uploading the next chapter roughly twelve hours after the previous update. Hopefully it doesn't seem too rushed. If it does, I'll do my best to fix it and maybe even change it around. It was an idea I had recently, and I really wanted to throw it in there. Sadly, there isn't much Naruto and Sakura dialogue in this, but this chapter is serving as a foundation for an overwhelming amount of development in the next few chapters. I hope you all understand, and as always, enjoy!

* * *

The air was heavy, laboring each breath as he struggled to keep control. His legs moved at incredible speed, with or without the consent of his mind. Every movement was reliant on his reflexes, and every decision was based on his instinct alone. Despite the heat that consumed his body, along with the fatigue he finally began to feel, he continued to move. This was just another battle, and he was just going to have to worry about his condition later.

The scene around him wasn't worthy of a painting, though it was worth a thousand words. The ground was scarred with cracks and littered with massive holes. The trees, or what was left of them, were turned to charcoal, making them unstable enough to use as a means of maneuvering; only cover. The air was coated in ashes, slowly falling from the sky above, as if the dark clouds that loomed overhead were raining soot. His lungs ignited and his legs burned, but he couldn't stop. It wasn't a matter of running away, instead, a matter of running forward and putting an end to it once and for all.

He summoned some of his remaining chakra to his feet, and hurdled over a piece of low cover made of boulders and rubble. He took a moment to catch his breath as a number of shuriken whizzed right over him. A second late, and he could have been a goner. He had to formulate a plan, and using whatever concentration and chakra he had left, he sprang into action, only being so sure of his strategy.

Leaping over the cover, he charged his enemy head on. He could tell that his opponent was also beginning to run low on energy, as he too seemed fatigued, unable to properly act in accordance to Naruto's attack. Within moments, he closed the gap. He didn't think that it would really come down to this, but with any luck, he could stop it before anything worse came of it.

He thrust his kunai forward, making contact with his opponent's sword. Sparks shot out from their clash, and both their hands shook as they battled each other's pressure. Naruto looked up into his opponents eyes, a move that he knew could prove fatal when dealing with his kind, but he couldn't resist. The black eyes he one knew were gone, replaced with eyes as red as rage itself. The raven haired teen looked down at his former teammate, the two of them giving off completely different expressions. Naruto's was of concern and yearning, while his opponent's was that of contempt and disdain. Naruto thought that, after their previous battle, he had finally decided to return home.

"Sasuke," Naruto whispered, both his hands guiding his kunai against his ex-teammate's sword, which too required two hands to grip. "I thought that this was over. I thought you finally changed your mind. Didn't you say you wanted to protect the leaf now?" Naruto's head dropped for a second, pausing at his own words. Sasuke continued to gaze down at him, his calm expression of antipathy still crossing his features. "Didn't you say you want to become Hokage?!" Naruto's plea echoed through the battlefield.

"Naruto, even after all that, you're still just a child." Sasuke practically spat his words with such venom. He waited a moment to analyze the look of shock and confusion crossing the blondes face before continuing. "You don't get it. I now understand the error of my ways, and I wish to protect the leaf just as my brother had; in the shadows."

"If you understand, then you'll believe me when I say that you can return to the village once more. Forget the shadows for once….. Come back to the light." Naruto spoke with such sincerity, it was almost enough to break Sasuke. "I thought I understood you before, I really did. But now, I know that I'll never understand what it was like to be in your place, or Itachi's, or even my own parents. But that doesn't mean I can't try!"

Naruto once more pushed on his opponent, causing his guard to break. Time slowed down to a near halt. Sasuke looked on in shock, unaware that he had grown so weak and that Naruto still had that much strength left. Naruto had a clean line to victory. One swift slash and his enemy would be neutralized. He had all the power in the world to bring an end to it. Using his momentum, he pushed forward. His hand which gripped his kunai lunged forward, his other hand grabbing Sasuke's shoulder. This was it; the end to it all.

The two boys fell to the ground, Naruto now on top of Sasuke. Sasuke had closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable blow, but it never came. Instead, the sound of metal piercing the hardened ground around him shook him back into reality. He gazed up, Naruto's face only a foot from his. Sasuke knew it; despite all his trials, Naruto still couldn't kill him.

"Damn it, Sasuke." He said, lifting his hand away from his weapon, turning it into a fist. It came crashing down into the Uchiha's face with one final cry. "Damn it all!"

Once more, Sasuke's reflexes kicked in. In order to save him from another blow, he used his legs to kick the blonde off of him in one swift motion. He rolled backward, grabbing his katana, which laid on the ground behind him. Sasuke continued to slowly step backward as he once more conversed with his rival.

"Naruto, you know how this has to be settled." Sasuke's sword clacked as it was stored back into its sheath. His right hand grasped his left wrist after a series of sign waving. Naruto knew this jutsu all too well. The chirping pierced his ears, as well as his soul. Blue lightning shot out from the palm of Sasuke's hand. Naruto summoned a clone as quickly as he could muster, and just as Sasuke readied his stance, Naruto did the same, a blue orb now twirling into the palm of his hand.

The two boys lunged forward, closing the gap in an instant. Every time they clashed, it seemed to end like this: Chidori versus Rasengan. The outcome was inevitable, except this time, it was a question of who would be there to pick up the pieces. Naruto's jutsu, though highly lethal, could easily be toned down for a final blow. Sasuke's Chidori, not that he ever did, was harder to tone down. Although it could be used to merely stun an opponent, Naruto knew that, with its current density and form, it would pierce right through him. With any luck, his plan would divert the familiar pain that jutsu implanted in him.

They both shouted within their final steps, reaching their hands out in front of them. Just before their jutsus clashed, Sasuke used his remaining strength to crouch down, effectively dodging his attack. In one rapid move, Sasuke's Chidori pierced through his chest, just as it had all those years ago. He lifted his friend by the wound, his hand visible on the other side.

"Naruto, I didn't want to kill you." He started, Naruto's hands coming to grip his teammates arm. His grip, though strong at first, slowly loosened, his eyes fading as well. "You left me no choice. Stay out of my way, for good."

"No!" A shout rang from behind. He glanced over his shoulder, to see two Naruto's charging at him. He looked back, only to be startled by the cloud of smoke that replaced the once finished Naruto.

"What, a shadow clone?!" He shouted, attempting to turn around and block the move. It was too late, as both Naruto's reached him, one mass of energy shared between their two hands was lifted to his chest. It was all over for Sasuke, making a grave error at the end: underestimating the number one knuckleheaded ninja.

"Giant Rasengan!" Naruto shouted, the blow connecting with his chest. In an instant, he was blown back, spinning through multiple trees and eventually impacting with a boulder, which cracked as he made contact. He surmounted some chakra to take the blow, but he knew it would only do so much. He slowly slid down to the ground, his cloths torn and his skin burned from where Naruto's rasengan connected. He thought that, with it being such a powerful jutsu, he would be dead. He felt dazed, and could feel himself slipping, but certainly not dead.

"Listen here, Sasuke." Naruto said confidently as he approached his now defeated friend. "I don't care what you think or what you say. This time, I'm bringing you home."

Before Sasuke faded, he attempted to reason with Naruto. "Naruto-" He stuttered, suddenly in pain from the final blow that was dealt. He reached up and grabbed the wound in an attempt to sooth it. "You know as well as I do that, no matter what, the village won't accept me back. The villagers won't accept it. It's best if I just-"

"I'll make them accept it." He said, kneeling down to his level. "You've made plenty of hard decisions in your life. I agree with them completely." Sasuke looked up in shock as he continued. "If I were in your shoes, I may have done the same thing. Anyone could have done the same. I don't blame you, and I'll be damned if anyone treats you like trash because of it."

"Just like they treated you before, huh?" Sasuke whispered, a small amount of blood oozing out of his wound. Despite everything that just occurred, even Sasuke attempting to once more kill his comrade, Naruto still held back. It was remarkable to him that someone could act so recklessly, yet so reliably.

"Just like you promised Kakashi-sensei, and our friends, and Sakura." He chuckled at the thought.

"That's right." Naruto replied. "Because I never give up, and never go back on my word. That's-"

"Your nindo; your ninja way." Sasuke once more laughed at the trademark one-liner. If he could tell himself back in his academy days that this is how things would turn out, he would've scoffed in his older self's face. To see his orange-clad classmate standing before him in victory; well, that was a sight to behold. Everything came full circle.

"You're such an idiot." Sasuke whispered. Naruto laughed at the remark, bringing him back to his earlier days.

"Yeah, I've heard that a few times before, you jerk." Naruto leaned himself up against the rock next to Sasuke, closing his eyes and resting his hands behind his head.

"What're you doing? Shouldn't you be dragging me back to the village now?"

"In a little." Naruto replied, a yawn escaping as he stretched his legs. "I'm too exhausted, and still trying to savor my victory."

All Sasuke could do was sigh at his antics. Although he may have defeated him, he was still the same idiot as he once before.

With the closing of his eyes, Naruto drifted off into darkness. His senses tingled and his muscles ached, but he was happy nonetheless. It was all over. He saved the world, saved his village, and saved his friend. Everything finally made sense to him. His path may have been grueling and seemingly impossible at times, but here he was now. Almost everything he sought out to accomplish was finished. Only a few things remained on his list, but for once, he decided to put those on hold. With that final mental note, he dozed off.

* * *

With a sudden boom, he launched himself up in his place. He glanced left, expecting a battle-worn Sasuke to be leaning beside him on the rock. Instead, Sasuke was replaced with an end table, whereas the boulder was now his mattress. He glanced to the right, and only saw the rest of his room. He focused in on the window, which showed that it was still dark outside, meaning that it must have been incredibly early in the morning. He noticed that the rain was still coming down as hard as it was the night before. The thunder, which occasionally shook the apartment, must have woken him.

He looked down at his hands. There was no blood, or dirt, or ashes; only sweat. There were no cuts or bruises on his arms, or puncture wounds in his chest. It was all just a dream. He hadn't just lived that battle and woken up in his own home. He just dreamt it all. It seemed too vivid to him, as if he was reliving it. He shook it off as nothing, though, as he slowly rose from his bed, stretching himself out as he walked toward to door. He was wearing a black shirt and orange athletic shorts, so he was definitely just sleeping another night in, as that was his usual sleeping attire these days.

Although that dream was entirely new to him, the concept was nothing he was unfamiliar with. For days, weeks, or maybe even months, he recalled having these dreams. He would relive battles, or in some instances engage in entirely new ones as he slept. That battle wasn't just similar to his final battle with Sasuke. Instead, it was _exactly_ like the final battle with Sasuke. Was it strange that, even though it was just a dream, it felt all too real? He could actually smell the ashes, and feel the blows, or at least he thought he could. Was his mind just that bent on recalling all the details? He didn't know what to make of it. He could still smell something warm in the air, like boiling water. Was his mind playing tricks this time, or was he still dreaming, or was there someone there?

Before he let his mind wander, he remembered that he had a guest over for the night. Without a moment to lose, he stepped out of his room and down the hall, which lead right into the living area and kitchen. Although he shouldn't have been, he was still surprised to see Sakura sitting at the dining table, a cup of what must have been tea in her hands. She looked up at him as he flicked on the lights. He wasn't as surprised to see her there, clad in one of his t-shirts and shorts, but more surprised to see her up so early.

"Sakura-chan, it's really early." He started, pointing toward a clock on the wall that read five thirty. "It's not even six in the morning, and you don't even have a mission today. Why don't you go back to bed? How long have you been up?"

As he moved toward the table to take a seat, she spoke up. "I couldn't sleep, Naruto."

"Huh, how come?" He looked at her in confusion, but had a pretty reasonable explanation already thought up. "Was it the storm? I slept through it, but man it sure does seem loud out there. I can see how it kept you up all night-"

"It was you, Naruto." Sakura said, concern sweeping over her features and tingeing her tone. She looked up at him, as if she was about to cry. "At first, I thought you were just having a nightmare, but all night you were twisting and turning in bed, shouting and moaning. I ran in there when I heard you call a jutsu. Luckily, you didn't actually make that rasengan."

"Oh, well that's easy to explain." He started, his shy expression accented with the rubbing of his neck. He really did feel embarrassed for keeping Sakura up all night, and he hoped his explanation would suffice. "See, I've been having a lot of dreams recently where I either relive past battles, or even fight entirely new ones. It's strange, but I don't think it's a big deal. Just my mind blowing off steam I guess."

"Naruto." She started, pulling the seat out next to her. "I think we need to talk about this. Please, sit down."

He was a little confused over her actions, but rather than argue for her to go back to bed, he complied, planting himself right next to her, waiting for her to begin explaining her concern. Albeit it felt a little too early to begin discussing this, he nonetheless sat eagerly in an attempt to hopefully resolve her worries as soon as possible.


	6. Chapter 5

A/N: Long chapter = lots of work, but certainly worth it! Once again, I'd like to thank everyone who is contributing to the work, either by just viewing it or even critiquing it. It really means a lot. As usual, go ahead and follow the story if you like it, follow me on tumblr ( alexanderthesubpar . tumblr. com) if you'd like to receive more frequent updates (and see a bit more of my personal life I guess), and be sure to stay tuned for the next installment. Like I said before, I'm trying my best to end this fic before I leave for vacation, so I have just under two weeks to get it done. Its going to be tough, but I think I can manage.

I'll also be taking commissions and such for short warm-ups and oneshots, so go ahead and send me some on my tumblr! I'll be sure to comment on them, and hopefully write them! You'll get credit for the idea, of course.

Finally, I'd like to mention that I will be working on a big project in the future. Most likely something that will be updated weekly, and go on for a while. So stick around for that as well!

Thanks for the views (Just made it over 2,300 this morning!). This is getting a little more popular than I thought it ever would, and I can't thank you all enough.

Enough about me, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Suddenly, things grew much quieter than he originally desired. He was hoping for her to elaborate immediately, but for the past minute or so, all he was given was the sight of her staring into her tea, taking a sip of it occasionally. He figured that, due to the apparent delicacy of the current situation, she was planning her words, and possibly her actions, accordingly. Although he appreciated her attention to his own reactions, he wished she would just get on with it.

"Sakura-chan, not to intrude on your thoughts, but if you have something to say, would you mind please explaining it?" He pieced each word together in a way that would get the point across, yet not upset her. He was as impatient as impatient could get, but that didn't mean he didn't know how to sit and listen. Trouble was there was nothing to listen to, other than the slow pitter-patter of the rain or the rumbling of the elements that clashed beyond their walls. Slowly, her lips began to part.

"Ever since the war, Naruto, we've been having a lot of patients in the hospital." She started, continually staring down at her mug. "They've come in with all sorts of injuries, and not all of them have been so easy to treat."

"Well," replied Naruto. "With you around, I bet those patients are getting treated at record speeds!" He chuckled, hoping to lighten the mood. It didn't work, as identified by her calm demeanor.

"No, Naruto. As a matter of fact, many of them are taking longer to heal than we ever thought they would." The seriousness of the situation began to show, as she continued to avert her gaze downward. "They have problems that regular medical ninja can't necessarily treat. Even the mind specialists, like Ino, have difficulty healing these patients."

"So what you're saying is that, whatever is wrong with these patients, it isn't physical, but mental?" Although the nickname stuck with him over the years, Naruto wasn't in fact a _total_ idiot. He was able to piece together information effectively, given the circumstances.

"Emotional, too." She said, finally looking up from her mug. She was tired, as evident from her sleepless expression and slouched form. Regardless of her current state, she continued to explain. "I've read the reports. It's the same in every village. Many of the ninja suffered terrible losses, and even some of the villagers are finding trouble coping with it all. We all sacrificed ourselves for the greater-good, and we thought it was all over, but even to this day, many of us are still being hurt. I think that-"

"You think that I'm also being hurt, right, Sakura-chan?" He interjected. He didn't mean to interrupt, but he was eager to put her worries aside. "I'm fine, really! A few nightmares isn't that abnormal, right?" He tried to smile in an effort to once more lighten the mood, but he was once more rejected. Instead, she placed her hand onto his, which laid still on the table. The seriousness of the situation finally fully sunk in.

"Yes, I do. Naruto, have you ever heard of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder? It's commonly referred to as PTSD." She stared into him, seeking an answer. She further elaborated in an effort to jog his memory. "It's when something…. Bad, or stressful, happens in someone life and they begin to…. Not function properly. They begin to…. Uh….. act different. They space out, avoid people, and have nightmares." She couldn't blame him for being slow, as the morning had only just begun, but she prayed that he would begin to understand. "Like you've been doing."

"Um, I think I may have heard of it once or twice…." He looked on in utter confusion, signaling to her that, no, he had no clue what it was. To her, it was the typical response she assumed she would receive.

"Do you think I have this, uh… P-D…"

"PTSD, Naruto." She said, finishing his stumbling sentence for him. "And honestly, I'm not sure. You show signs of a preliminary condition, but it isn't completely solid. You still seem to retain much of your past self, so I think you may just be overwhelmed with stress, which in turn is affecting your life; if that makes any sense. If that stress continues to build up and compound like it has been, it's only a matter of time before the condition further develops."

"Sakura-chan, please. I think I'd know if something was wrong." He released his hand from her grip, this time rearranging himself so that he held her hand in his. His left hand came over and grasped it as well, further reassuring his sincerity.

"No you wouldn't, Naruto. You couldn't even keep your old apartment straight, so how do you-"

"But didn't we agree that, ever since the war, I matured tremendously. Sakura-chan, look, just because I'm more mature doesn't mean I have this 'PTSD' thing." Naruto wasn't just saying it to relive her. He truly felt that he would be aware of some sort of mental condition if it was indeed impacting his life.

"Maturity and overwhelming stress are two totally different things. Mature people don't just space out, or lose their sociability, or become increasingly distant from their own teammates!" Sakura started to shout, losing all sense of the term 'inside voice.'

"Sakura-chan, calm down!" Even Naruto raised his voice, wishing to not disturb his neighbors once more. He figured that apology was coming to be delivered much sooner if they kept this up. "All I'm saying is this: I don't have this disorder, and I'm totally fine. Please, don't worry about me."

"Yeah, sure. And who's the medical ninja here?"

"You?"

"That's right. And who is the babbling idiot here?"

"Oh, that's harsh, Sakura-chan." Naruto sunk his head a little low as she attempted to insult her way to victory. Her endgame was simple; get him to understand at all cost, and ultimately save him from a possibly worse future. He had survived so much in his life, and it was all coming back to haunt him. She was going to be damned before she let him finally succumb to his own demons.

"At any rate, even if you don't have the preliminary stages of the condition, you won't mind if I stay around you for the next week or so." She said, a slight tinge of red staining her cheeks.

"Wha-?! Sakura-chan, what do you mea-"

"I mean exactly what I said. Starting yesterday, I took the next week off from my hospital duties in order to come watch over you. I'll be going home today to grab some necessities, and I'll be moving in temporarily. Whether you have it or not, and whether you like it or not, I'm here to stay, so you need to accept that."

A widened smile crossed his features; utter happiness sweeping over his senses. This is something that he had always dreamed of. Forget the medical aspect of it all, and how this could technically be seen as a mission for Sakura. It was already decided that she was doing this on her own free will. She was the one who desired to stay with him, taking her own time off just to help him. He was beyond happy; however he was at a loss for words, giving no other meaning to his current state.

"Sakura-chan, thank you! This is great!" To see him as giddy as he was back in his hyperactive Genin days was a sight behold, and she was beyond pleased. Sakura was glad that, even though he may not fully understand the circumstances which dictated this prolonged visit, she was almost as happy as he was. Not just because she was finally doing her part to help him, but solely based on the fact that she finally got to spend time with him. After all, what she said in the land of Iron wasn't entirely false.

Still, she had to take this slowly. As much as she wanted to bring up that long forgotten topic, she knew that his mind was sensitive, and the last thing she needed was for him to start hyperventilating, just as he did after her first confession. In due time, she was hoping for a change. At the very least, maybe she could finally see the old Naruto once more.

"Alright, alright, settle down." She said, her tone finally returning to its usual, cheerful self. "Weren't you the one who just said to quiet down? I knew your neighbors forgave us before, but this time might be a little harder for them to understand. It'll only get worse once we tell them this'll be happening for a week."

Naruto laughed at her remark, a sense of playfulness clearing the gloomy atmosphere. The glass door that separated them from the balcony began to brighten, the view being penetrated by the morning light. Although the rain continually persisted, it was nice to see that morning was now in full swing. Naruto stood up from his chair in order to take a glance out the window. He stretched his arms above his head, lifting up his shirt in the process. Sakura usually saw herself as an intelligent young woman who had great control over her desires, but deep down, she was still just a teenager. She looked on at his chiseled form with a slight yearning to see more, but it went as quickly as it came.

He walked toward the door, placing his hand on the cold glass. The storm seemed to be lightening up, as the rain slowly came to a drizzle. The clouds were breaking apart, giving way to the morning sun. Just on the horizon, orange and purple streaked across the sky, contrasting the dark clouds greatly. It painted an astonishing similar scene for him, and just as he did before, he refused to look into any sort of deeper meaning to it all. Instead, he just looked on in awe.

Sakura rose from her chair, the wood making a squeal as it grinded against the wooden floor. She walked over to the kitchen and began pulling out a few pans and utensils, searching around the cabinets and taking inventory at the refrigerator. She called out to her temporary roommate in a soothing voice.

"Why don't you start getting washed up. I'll make us some breakfast. You weren't kidding when you stocked up at the store. What were you planning; staying inside for a few days?"

"Well, I just wanted to be prepared is all. You know, just in case I ended up having a week long date with you-" Just as he neared the end of his sentence, she came up to him with closed eyes and a wide grin . He backed against the glass door, and she made one final step forward. She raised a hand up to his head, which clenched a metal frying pan.

"Don't push it, okay, Naruto?" She said in the most innocent tone she could muster. As innocent as it may have been, he knew that underneath that mask she put up, she was ready to pounce. One wrong word or step could send him flying off the balcony. He took mental note of that as he replied.

"Uh, hehehe, sorry about that Sakura-chan. I'll just be…. Uh… getting in the shower?" He didn't think he had to ask, but once again, he wanted to be as cautious as he could.

"Good." She replied, the same smile adorning her features. She walked back to the kitchen and began cracking a few eggs. As he traveled down the hall, the smell of butter and sizzling eggs filled the air. As she also threw the bacon on, his mouth began to salivate. It had been a while since he had someone make a breakfast for him, let alone one that was so tantalizing. He threw his clothes off and grabbed a towel from the closet once he entered the bathroom, turning the knob on the shower. He stared himself down in the mirror as he waited for the water to heat up.

He stared into his own eyes, scanning them for any signs of weakness. Aside from the usual morning drowsiness, he saw nothing. Sakura was a damn god doctor, but he wasn't so sure about a psychologist. He knew that, although he had been acting differently, it wasn't related to the disorder she had been talking about earlier. As a matter of fact, he figured that, if anything, it was more related to his two teammates. He remembered that, although she may actually harbor feelings for him, she very well could have been involved with Sasuke. It hurt him to think about, but he wasn't about to ask her. What she was doing was for his sake, and butting in with selfish questions like that would get her nowhere, and probably make the situation worse.

Despite his desire to know more about his teammates relationship, as well as where he and her stood, he knew it was best to wait. Even if this was the source of his recent problems, maybe spending a week with his beloved would clarify it all. Only time would tell.

A few minutes later, after a warm shower and a fresh change of clothes, he came back out to the table, where a whole platter of food awaited him. It was amazing; not just the food, but having someone there who cared that much to make an entire meal for him. He would certainly have to make it up to her soon.

"Wow, Sakura-chan, this looks amazing!" He said, sitting at the table across from her. She was still sipping at their tea, a small plate of eggs and toast in front of her. They both picked from the assortment of sides on the table, and began to eat. They ate in silence, but that was fine for the both of them. They had all week to talk, so a few moments of silence wouldn't hurt.

Just as predicted; Sakura ate her food with care, carefully selecting her portions, chewing, and swallowing. She was in no rush, and saw no need to rush. Naruto, on the other hand, practically inhaled it. Just like the times they went out for Ramen together, she wasn't sure if he was chewing or just swallowing at this point. It was a mystery that honestly wasn't worth solving. Naruto was happy about the wonderful food Sakura had made, whereas Sakura was just happy that he was happy. At the conclusion of their meal, Naruto was the first to speak.

"Fantastic, Sakura-chan. Absolutely fantastic!" He started, collecting both of their plates and walking toward the kitchen sink. She looked on with a smile; glad to see that he was not only taking responsibility for the cleanup, but that he thoroughly enjoyed her cooking. Though she often cooked for her parents when she was home, and they always said they enjoyed it, hearing it from someone else felt different. Maybe it was because he wasn't related, or maybe it was just because it was Naruto. Either way it didn't matter. They were both happy, and that was enough to make her smile.

"Alright, while I deal with this, why don't you take a break?" He continued, scrubbing the plates and soaking the pans. "You've been up for lord only knows how long. You can at least take a shower and get dressed. After that, maybe you should run home and grab your things."

"Good idea." She said, walking down the hall toward the bathroom. "I'll get right on that."

As he washed the remaining dishes, he glanced out the window, taking note of the sun which finally revealed itself on the horizon. It was still early, but early enough for many of the villagers. The rain had mostly stopped during their meal, and the sounds of the locals starting their day began to ring through the streets. This was normal for the village, as there was always something going on. Shop keepers always opened early in order to generate better revenue, workers always preferred beating the heat in the summer and starting early, and shinobi were just forced into waking up early, regardless of their wishes. Naruto knew that all too well. He always strived to be up on time, but he remembered sleeping in and being late a few times as a Genin. Not that it every mattered, as his sensei was usually late anyway.

Down the hall he could hear Sakura emerging from the bathroom, walking slowly down the hallway. Naruto spun around just as he heard her plop down on the couch, her legs stretched to the far end of the sofa. He walked over, resting his hands on the back of the couch, looking down at his guest.

"Even after that, I still feel tired." She sighed, while all he could do is smile. She stretched her arms out behind her as she continued. "Well, it could be worse. It's not like we have anything to do today."

"True." His words were small, yet unquestioned by Sakura. She was too tired to care, whereas he was captivated by the beauty in front of him. Just as the sunrise had done for him earlier, he could only look on in awe. He refused to think of what could come of this week, or why she was really here. All that mattered to him was that his beloved Sakura-chan was here, in his apartment, on his couch. She even offered to cook for him earlier. He really was in heaven, and he wasn't going to allow anything to interrupt their time together.

A steady series of three knocks came from the front door. Sakura sat up in surprise, whereas Naruto straightened up in annoyance. He must've spoke too soon, as he was sure there was going to be some sort of crisis or some sort of interruption to their so-far peaceful morning.

"I'll get it." He said, walking down the hall.

"It's probably your neighbor, wanting an apology for being so loud." She said, getting up from the sofa and following him to the door. "I can't let you deal with that alone." She laughed at the thought, and he gave of a hearty chuckle. That had to be it, in all honesty. What else could it be? There were never any missions or assignments to get done anymore. This small intrusion on their morning was unwanted, sure, but best to be over with now. He opened the door, Sakura right behind him, ready to speak to the old man.

As soon as he opened it, both of them looked on in confusion and surprise. What stood before them wasn't a short old man, with gray hairs and a pair of fuzzy slippers on, a copy of the morning paper in one hand and his coffee in the other. Instead, there stood a raven haired man, a green flak jacket and black Jōnin apparel covering his pale body. His well-practiced Katana stood out the most, aside from the clan symbols that rested on each of his shoulders. A recently replaced forehead protector with a blue band wrapped around his head, just as it did all those years ago. His expression was as calm as ever, giving him his usual placid demeanor.

"Sasuke?" Both of them spoke up, Sakura putting the "kun" at the end of his name. He looked at both of them with dark eyes. There was zero malice in his features, as well as his tone. Just the usual Sasuke they remembered all those years ago.

"We're wanted at the training grounds in thirty minutes. Something about assisting the new Genin teams." He paused, glancing behind Naruto at Sakura. "Sakura, I'm glad you're here. Saves me the trouble of looking for you. I don't even know if I want to hear why you're here this morning." He meant nothing by it, and she didn't take it that way. Naruto was unsure of what he meant, so he didn't comment on it.

"At any rate," The young Uchiha continued. "We're wanted there as soon as possible. Be there." In an instant, there wasn't a single trace of him, as he vanished to the rooftops above, making his way toward his destination. Naruto closed the door, and began putting his shoes on. Sakura did the same.

"So much for not having anything to do today, huh?" She said.

"Yeah, leave it to the Teme to ruin our morning." She giggled at his choice in words. She was glad to see that, even though they went through so much more than any 'best friends' ever had before, they still shared the same dynamic they had back when team seven was going strong. This was the first "mission" where they would be working in the same squad again, and it was quite exciting. Seeing as Kakashi sensei was bound to be there, or at least he was bound to be there _eventually_, Naruto was more than happy to participate, despite the intrusion.

Today was going to be an interesting day.


	7. Chapter 6

A/N: Here it is, Chapter Six! It somewhat breaks away from "Naruto and Sakura" limited conversation, but it does provide an little bit more in the way of their personas. I wanted to try and captivate a little bit of Naruto's old personality in this chapter, in an effort to show exactly what I mean by "Preliminary Stages" of the condition he has developed. I hope that it makes sense, as I am attempting to portray a Naruto that, although he is still retaining much of his past self underneath what he has become, he is slowly starting to change. Remember, I have a bit of this planned out, but a lot of this is being come up with as I write it. Maybe not the best way to do it, but that's how its working out for now haha!

I know it seems confusing, but hopefully it makes more sense upon reading this chapter! I'm trying to prevent any major plot holes from opening up, but we'll see how far that goes hahahahaha!

Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

It was about seven in the morning as the famous duo soared over the rooftops. Despite the recent weather, the sky was painted in a pure blue with white clouds whisking about. The sun shined brilliantly over the village, drying up what was left of the previous night's rain. Some of the roads looked a little muddy, and many of the creeks and overflows were almost full. It was days like today where he was glad he could stick to the rooftops.

With each passing building and leap over the alleys, the Hokage monument, which loomed in the distance, became smaller and smaller. In no time at all, they would be at the village gates. From there, it was only a short walk to the training grounds. To his understanding, they would be returning to the very same spot that they held their first team training exercise; better referred to as the bell test. It was interesting to see how things were beginning to come full circle. He used those very grounds on numerous occasions, hosting multiple sparring sessions, an abundance of early morning workouts, and even a few other team-building exercises. The site where he rigorously trained to master his unique technique, the Rasenshiriken, was just around the corner as well.

He continuously scanned the area in front of him out of precautious instinct. If he spotted something in his path, he would vault over it or occasionally roll under it. He wanted to get to the training grounds as quickly as possible, and he wasn't sure as to why. Was it because it was finally something for him to do? Or was it because his team was finally going to be reunited? Either way, a training session would likely come of the day's events, and that was something he always liked to participate in.

Sakura, though eager to get a full briefing of the day's events, was certainly not as happy about the recent turn in plans. She was happier to see the smile widen across Naruto's face as he leapt from building to building, the winds ruffling his blonde spikes. He hadn't been this giddy in a while, but regardless of that, she was glad to see that the old Naruto still existed underneath that slightly hardened exterior he now possessed. As they both continued on their path, she could still see the orange fabric from his track jacket underneath his green regulation vest. To Sakura, it was another testament to both his unique personality and his very unique fashion choice. She giggled at the thought.

"What's up, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, hearing her hushed laughter. She was surprised that he heard her, but wasn't embarrassed in the slightest.

"Oh, nothing at all, Naruto." She said, pushing herself more to catch up to Naruto. His endless amounts of energy always meant he was just slightly ahead of her, but in that instance, she felt as if some of his energy was just magically transferred over to her. She was already eager, but now she was fired up, a bit of excitement building up inside of her. She knew that today was going to be a good day for her, and an even better day for Naruto. He needed this, and she needed him. It was a win-win.

* * *

Almost fifteen minutes passed, and after exiting the village gates and soaring through the trees for a good while, they finally reached the training grounds. Not to make a dramatic entry, they landed just on the outskirts on a small dirt path. From where they were standing, they could barely make out the training field. Without wasting a moment, they walked through the opening in the chain link fence.

Taking in the surroundings, an overwhelming sense of nostalgia crossed between the two. The trees that surrounded the clearing were as green as ever, contrasting lightly to the rocks that guided a small stream down the end of the training grounds. Even though they frequented this spot over the years, every visit felt a little surreal to them. It brought them back to their first days as shinobi, and seeing Sasuke and Kakashi (who had a very familiar book in his hands) conversing near three wooden stumps that protruded from the ground only furthered their emotions. The only major difference was three preteens standing in front of the two, conversing amongst themselves.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto shouted as they drew near, Sakura smiling at his sudden outburst.

Both Kakashi looked over at the two, a grin barely visible through his mask. Sasuke also smirked at their arrival, giving them a simple nod of the head.

"Well, if it isn't two of my other successful students. Naruto, Sakura." Their sensei put away his book, which he must have read a million times over by now. "Glad to see you made it. We weren't sure if you would get the memo in time, so I put Sasuke up to the job." He placed his hand on the Uchiha's shoulder.

"Yeah, luckily the idiot was awake. Even better, Sakura was over." Sasuke said matter-of-factually. He crossed his arms once more and averted his gaze. "Saved me the trouble of looking."

"Oh, really? Why was that?" Kakashi asked, his interests slightly peaked at the thought. "Did you stay the night or something?"

Both Naruto and Sakura could feel their faces heating up a bit, unsure of exactly what their sensei was implying. While Naruto was at a loss for words, Sakura was quick to dismiss their sensei's thoughts.

"Yes, Sensei. He was feeling a little under the weather and I offered to help him. He's back at one hundred percent now." Sakura's voice articulated her thoughts confidently, whereas her expression betrayed her tone.

"What was wrong? A fever, or did all that ramen finally start messing with his health." Sasuke asked. Although his cool demeanor and sarcastic approach didn't seem like much, he was a little intrigued by his pink-haired teammate's story. Sasuke knew that Naruto was old enough to take care of himself, and wouldn't ask Sakura to do something for no real reason other than his own amusement. Something was up, and he wanted to know why. Just because he used an assortment of insults to describe him, didn't mean he stopped caring for his well-being. They were rivals, but friends nonetheless.

Sakura paused, which didn't go unnoticed by the Uchiha. "I'll explain it later, Sasuke-kun." For now, he would accept her mediocre response. He nodded in return.

"Well, at any rate, I'm glad to hear you're back in action, Naruto." Kakashi remarked, returning his attention to the young man on his right. "Sasuke, why don't you go ahead and give these two the rundown for the day."

"Sure." He moved toward the two, while Kakashi called his students closer. As Kakashi began explaining today's agenda, Sasuke reiterated. "Basically, Kakashi wanted his new students to meet his former students. So, here we are."

"Are we going to be sparring?" Naruto asked, attempting to get as many details as possible.

"With them?" He pointed toward the Genin behind him. "No. With each other; possibly. It all depends on what Kakashi wants us to do. I imagine we'll mostly be discussing our past experiences as a team, giving them pointers, and ultimately ending the day by showing them a few techniques."

"Damn." Naruto replied, receiving a confused look from Sakura and a bland expression from Sasuke. "I was really looking forward to beating you today, teme."

"Yeah, I'd like to see you try, idiot." Sasuke's brows furrowed, leaning in a bit. Naruto returned the stare, leaning in a bit as well. Sasuke's arms remained crossed, whereas Naruto were raised in preparation. Back in their youth, Sakura or Kakashi would usually break things up, but, as crooked as it sounded, Sakura just looked on in happiness. It was nice to see that they shared the same bond as before, albeit it was a little destructive. She could have sworn sparks shot between the two.

Just as history would dictate, Kakashi stepped in. "Easy there, you two. You'll have plenty of time to duke it out later. For now, I want you to meet my new team." He waved his hand at his new students; the three former members of team Kakashi dropping their bickering and instead replacing it with their usual personas.

"I'm sure you've heard of these three before, and I know you've met Naruto before." Kakashi started, addressing his new students first. "The pink, cheerful one is Sakura Haruno; an intelligent young kunoichi with excellent medical training. A disciple of the fifth Hokage, in fact." The students looked on in amazement, especially the one brown haired girl of the group. She seemed especially impressed.

"I'm flattered, Sensei." Sakura blushed a bit at the fact that the students were impressed with her track record. She didn't see herself as all that, but apparently she was.

"The dark haired, quiet man is Sasuke Uchiha." At the mention of his last name, all three students were instantly captivated by what their instructor had to say. They had lessons where Sakura and Naruto visited back in their academy days, but they never once met the illusive Uchiha. "His past isn't really my business to discuss; however, he was a student of mine and one of the other three Legendary Sanin; Orochimaru. His skills with his Katana were largely practiced while he was away from the village, but his most prominent jutsu, the Chidori, was taught to him by yours truly. Other than that, he wields the Mangekyō Sharingan, an elevated form of the Uchiha's Kekkei Genkai. He was always a diligent student, even back in the academy and while he served on Team Seven."

Sasuke simply nodded his head, not uttering a single word. He was certainly portraying the 'quiet' side of him perfectly, and the students would come to understand his techniques if there was a demonstration later. Regardless, he wasn't visibly flattered by the introduction.

"Since it's only fair, I might as well give Naruto a reintroduction." Naruto smiled at thought. "Naruto is seen by many as the hero of not only our village, but the hero of the shinobi world. His techniques range from those taught to him by Master Jiraya, the final member of the original Legendary Sanin, to techniques he learned and adapted to fit his own style. His most used jutsu, other than the Rasengan, is the Shadow Clone Jutsu, and given his massive chakra reserves, he is capable of summoning extraordinary amounts of them."

"Pleasure's all mine!" Naruto exclaimed, a small thumbs up sealing his approval. They were all sure that the three of them were being reviewed inside the classrooms of the academies these days. Sakura had matured into a great kunoichi, making her an ideal role model for the young kunoichi of the village. Sasuke, despite his past, became a loyal asset to the village. His tale of revenge and sacrifice was an invaluable lesson to be learned by the new generation. Naruto was the underdog story of a lifetime, seeing through countless trials that, in all honesty, had the odds completely staked up against him. He was not only an ideal shinobi, but a crucial role model for all ninja to look up to. His natural leadership had been somewhat dismissed over the years, but it was now more prominent than ever. His dream of becoming Hokage was no longer a question of "if," rather "when."

The introductions were certainly unnecessary, but it was more so the thought that counts. As flattered as he was, Naruto hated being overrated. The same could be said for Sakura as well. Sasuke, though not wishing to be treated special by anyone, still showed no signs of flattery. That was more so his way of saying 'Thank you, but it wasn't necessary.'

"Well, with that out of the way; old Team Seven, meet new Team Seven." Their sensei once more motioned his hand toward the three kids, who looked on in both fascination and admiration for their predecessors. "The one on the left is Takashi, the girl in the middle is Haru, and the boy on the right is Sadao. None of them have been 'in the business' long enough to develop any overwhelming skills, but their teamwork is on par with yours back in the day."

It was true, their teamwork back in the day, though easily dismissed by their routine arguments and complex assortment of emotions for one another, was still some of the most admirable work Kakashi every witnessed. Even after Sasuke left under chilling circumstances, he was still accepted him with open arms upon his return. Granted, that might have been an 'in the moment' decision due to the importance of battle they were engaged in at the time, but regardless, they accepted him back, and here they stood once more; teammates, rivals, and more.

"My plan was to originally just hold a few sparing matches and have the rest of us sit on the side lines so the kids could pick up on a few things, but I think that maybe-"

"No way, Kakashi-sensei! Let's stick with that plan!" Naruto shouted; eager to put his skills to the test. He hadn't been in a combat or training scenario in weeks, and he figured this would help him blow off some steam.

Kakashi looked between the three members of the 'New Three Way Deadlock,' eyeing no objections between its members. He glanced down at his new team, and received the expressions he assumed he was going to receive; excitement, mostly due to the once in a lifetime opportunity to see three of the village's legends go head-to-head. They were almost as anxious as Naruto was, and with that, he faltered.

"Well, alright. If that's what the audience wants, then I suppose I have no choice." He guided his old team to the tree line. "Takashi, Sadao, Haru; stay here while they spar. I'll be back in a moment. Once the matches begin, I want you to take in as much information as possible. Study their individual tactics, as well as their team tactics if we host a two-on-two. I know this is exciting to watch, but don't treat it like a show. You have to learn from this."

"Understood, Sensei!" Haru was the first to speak. She was both excited, yet focused.

Sadao only nodded at his sensei, which was good enough for him. Kakashi new that he wasn't the loudest of the bunch, somewhat giving off a Sasuke-esque vibe to him. Takashi raised his fist in front of him, waving a thumbs-up to his sensei.

"Sure thing, Kakashi-Sensei!" He shouted. "Oh man, this is going to be so cool." The young man said, turning to his two teammates. Haru agreed with him, though she couldn't muster up the same amount of excitement Takashi had. Sadao only gave off an affirmative "Hmph" with a smirk, which was his way of saying "hell yeah." It was odd to see that his current team eerily resembled his older team; however, he was certainly pleased.

"Alright, good." The silver haired Jōnin said, turning around and walking toward the other group of recently appointed Jōnin. "I'll be right back."

On that note, it was even stranger to him that only four years ago, Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke were fresh out of the academy, only understanding the 'book' part of the shinobi world. Here they stood today, practically the same rank as him, passing down their knowledge to the next generation. He felt that, despite his age and years of service, the three of them had done so much more in their years as ninja. It was remarkable to see that, even though they went through countless hardships as a squad, they once more stood strong. Had his teachings helped hold them together? Well, partially. He figured that the rest of it, in all honesty, could be contributed to each one of them personally. He was glad that these three were selected to be on the same squad all those years ago.

"Alright," He said, approaching the three in the center of the field. "Who wants to go first?" In an instant, the two rivals stared into each other, affirming what Kakashi already knew.

"Is that really a question, Sensei?" Sakura said, who was also unsurprised by the two's sudden incline to battle.

He sighed before giving his rebuttal. "I guess not. Alright, Sakura, let's move over with my squad. You two…." He placed a hand on each of their shoulders, breaking their trance and causing their gaze's to look upon their sensei. "Don't start until we make it to the safe zone, okay? I don't want any of the bystanders getting hit." He gave a grin, which was barely seen underneath his mask, but portrayed by the shutting of his one visible eye. The two boys nodded, and walked to opposite ends of the field. As the two walked toward the tree line, Kakashi spoke up, just loud enough for Sakura, and only Sakura, to hear.

"So, what was wrong with him?" She looked at him suddenly, a quizzical expression crossing her face. "Naruto, I mean. You said he was sick, or something? I sense it's something much more serious than that." His assumption was only affirmed by the averting of her gaze, looking intensely at the path she walked.

"PTSD, Sensei. I think Naruto may be developing PTSD." Kakashi, first shocked at the possible condition, sighed as they neared his students.

"I see." He paused, thinking of what to say next. "How bad is it?"

"Preliminary stages. He hasn't fully developed it, but….." She stopped for a brief moment, collecting her thoughts. "I'm worried."

"Has he been hyperventilating at all?"

"As far as I know, no. Although, the amount of stress he's dealing with could easily surpass what he felt while he was in the Land of Iron. I'm worried that he may start up again…." She looked back up to her sensei, her face distraught as she thought of all the possibilities. Just as he did many times before, Kakashi did what he could to calm his student.

"Well, with you around, I don't think we have anything to worry about. Beside, maybe today will help him blow off some steam." He smiled, hoping it would be contagious. She caught his sudden attempt to lighten the mood, and accepted it wholeheartedly. She knew today was going to be a good day for Naruto, and if he caught her acting down, she knew he would instantly drop whatever he was doing and try to comfort her, which would add even more unnecessary stress to his life. With that note, she tried to cheer up. The least she could do was smile in front of Kakashi's new students, as she did not want to give off the wrong impression about her and her teammates.

They neared the students, standing behind them under the shade of the trees. The three Genin sat down in the grass, just beyond the shade. The sight before them was incredible. Not just the blue skies and sparse clouds, or the crystal clear water that flowed down the stream. Two shinobi legends stood before them, and even though they weren't going all out, they were not only in for an important lesson, but a bit of a treat. The two young men, the highlights of the scene, smirked at each other. Naruto tightened his headband and shifted into a ready stance, while Sasuke rolled his wrists and remained still.

"Alright, are the two of you ready?" Kakashi shouted.

"Yeah." Sasuke said, a little bit of excitement marking his words.

"Hell yeah!" Naruto exclaimed, not being afraid to show the fervor which ignited him.

After a brief moment of silence, Kakashi once more shouted. "Begin!" With the match officially started, the two rivals lunged into each other, closing the distance in an instant. Sasuke drew his sword from behind, and Naruto drew a kunai from his leg pouch. Sparks flew as they clashed, each blow being perfectly matched by the other. This fight, they all knew, was going to be a close one. The victory could not be so easily guessed as it might have back in the day. Even back then, even though Sasuke had the better scores, the intellect, and cunning reflexes, matched only by his Sharingan, Naruto had the brute force, cleverness, and sheer willpower to tackle even the strongest of foes.

They were perfect rivals.


	8. Chapter 7

A/N: Sorry to keep you all waiting! To make up for yesterday's lack of work, I have made this chapter more than double the length as usual. Although I realize that I don't really have to update everyday, I felt that I could work a little harder on this one and pump out something good. Besides, I made sure a bit more happened in this chapter.

I've been absolutely ecstatic about how many views, follows, and reviews I've been getting. Really, not only am I grateful for all my followers, but grateful for the fandom as a whole. Y'all are fantastic!

One thing that has been brought to my attention on numerous occasions is the lack of interaction between Naruto and Sakura, specifically pertaining to the romantic variety. Believe me, I want to write all about their close encounters, but, this story requires build up. With frequent updates, it should be easy to be patient for the "big stuff" to start happening. Although I am writing this with the fans in mind, and taking in as much critique as I can, I am also not completely bending over backwards for everyone else. I do ask for people to please be patient as I update this story. Much like the actual manga, each chapter individually can only tell so much, but altogether, makes one fantastic story.

"The whole is greater than the sum of it's parts." -Aristotle.

Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

Roughly twenty minutes had passed, and the two rivals continued to duke it out. Each one of them unleashed a volley of attacks, hoping to gain the upper hand, but the two were at a stalemate. Although neither one of them were going all out, it seemed as though both of them had synced up perfectly; handicapping their own abilities to match the other's. Sasuke had already activated his sharingan, whereas Naruto was attempting to use shadow clones as diversions while the main one would charge up for a massive attack. Although these sorts of tactics worked on most other opponents, Sasuke's red gaze saw through each move, perfectly countering the attack with one of his own.

His last barrage did not end very well, as his shadow clones were defeated in an instant by the Uchiha's fire jutsus. The original was bashed across the training field, barely able to land on his feet, a kunai dug into the earth as he skidded backward. Sasuke smirked, thinking he completely had the advantage. In an effort to end the match quickly, he activated his Mangekyo sharingan. Although it was a bit of overkill, he was starting to get impatient. He wanted to show Naruto that, although he possessed a strength that could have very-well passed him, Sasuke had better strategy, and would ultimately lead him to victory. It wasn't just in an effort to show off, either. He truly wanted Naruto to learn from this experience, and he had a plan to accomplish just that.

"See that, students? Sasuke's eyes changed." Kakashi said, pointing out the small detail to his new squad. "That's the Mangekyo Sharingan. His possesses a different power than mine, one that's much stronger in fact. You can tell by the pattern it took on."

"Yeah, you're right, sensei." Haru replied, studying the scenario with astute detail. "It changed from the usual pattern to a unique design, like a bunch of circles and swirls."

"Looks deadly." Sadao said, glancing over at his sensei. "If its as powerful as the scrolls back at the academy say it is, Naruto doesn't stand much of a chance."

"No way he's gonna lose!" Takashi roared, eager to disprove his fellow teammate. "I bet Naruto has something up his sleeve, right Sensei!?" The young boy looked back at his teacher, then over to Sakura. "I mean, he beat him before, didn't he?"

"Just watch, Takashi. You'll miss it if you don't keep your eyes on the battle." Kakashi remarked, Sakura ready to chime in.

"Besides, if there's one thing I know about Naruto by now, its that you can never count him out until the very end." She said, pride tinging her words. "He never gives up, and most definitely has something planned." She confidently grinned at the boy, which satisfied him wholly. He turned around, not wanting to miss any more of their duel.

Just as he figured would happen, Naruto took notice of his rival's sudden awakening. His blood-red eyes stared into him intensely, and he knew that it would be impossible to keep up with them if he didn't step up his game. With a smirk, he summoned a shadow clone. At first, Sasuke thought nothing of it, but when the cloud of smoke that surrounded it dissipated, he once more came face-to-face with the term "most unpredictable ninja." The clone had been summoned in the woods while Sasuke was distracted, and told to keep its chakra signature low. It sat in a meditating position, waiting to be summoned by the original. All this time, it had collected natural energy, ready to be used by Naruto. He placed his hand on the clone, undoing the jutsu and absorbing its energy. His eyes remained closed as Sasuke charged forward in an attempt to stop the inevitable.

Just as Sasuke entered his immediate range, his eyes opened once more, only this time his sapphire gaze was replaced with a golden aura, black ovals traveling horizontally across. He dodged the attack at the very last moment, giving him time to kick his opponent away. He landed gracefully on his feet, staring his comrade down. Sasuke quickly reengaged his target, once more exchanging mutual blows, countering each other with grace.

"What kind of jutsu was that?" Haru asked. "I could of sworn Sasuke finally one-upped him, but he just deflected that attack in an instant." Kakashi was quick to answer his curious student.

"That is called 'sage technique,' or 'Sage Mode' as Naruto calls it. After extensive training, Naruto was able to learn to use it, just as his master did before him." Kakashi paused, before continuing with his explanation, watching on as his two former students continued to clash. "By absorbing the natural energy around him, Naruto is capable of using it to elevate his senses, as well as his assortment of techniques. Even some of his already powerful jutsu, like the Rasenshiriken, are capable of being strengthened. In terms of hand to hand combat, it's just as hard to combat as the sharingan, if not more."

"I knew it! Naruto is amazing!" Takashi was thrilled to see Naruto use one of his many trump cards. It was exciting to not only learn about all these crazy techniques, but to witness them in action, especially against such a powerful foe. Sakura only smiled at the young boy's enthusiasm. It was true that Naruto was strong, and in her eyes, stronger than Sasuke ever could be. Not just because of his incredible strength and assortment of jutsus, but because of his sheer willpower. He was capable of coming back from anything, and even when the fight seemed impossible, Naruto made it possible. In reality, Naruto was much more to her than another hero. He was a role model; an ideal ninja, and an even better friend.

It seemed that every time the two clashed, after a series of blows and diverted jutsu, they ended up skidding across the dirt and grass, putting a sizeable distance between the two. Once more, they found themselves staring the other down from across the way. Naruto was full of natural energy, and Sasuke had no worries about his sharingan wasting too much chakra. They readied their stances and lunged into each other once more. This time, however, things would go much differently for the duo.

As Naruto neared his opponent, he readied a kunai in one hand, his other hand balled into a fist. He was going to strike hard and fast, using frog kumite as his primary advantage. If he could just get an opening on Sasuke's face, he was confident he could deal a serious blow, and maybe even end the match there. He glanced up, mere feet away from him. His sharingan shimmered in the light, contrasting with the boy's pale skin. Just as they were in range, Sasuke planted his foot to the ground and used his momentum to dodge both Naruto and his attack. Even the natural energy that surmounted around his form wasn't capable of harming the Uchiha. As they flew past each other, Sasuke's eyes tracked Naruto's, their gaze meeting for a brief second. At that instant, Naruto's vision blurred. He wasn't sure what was going on, and lost reception from all his senses. Without any depth information, and losing awareness as a whole, he crashed to the ground, his vision becoming dark. Sasuke landed a few feet behind him, staring down at the limp body of his comrade. The new Team Seven looked on in both confusion and concern, trying to comprehend what happened. Kakashi and Sakura, on the other hand, were well aware of what just occurred.

* * *

_Darkness consumed him. It swept over all of his senses, blocking out even his most basic reflexes. Last he could recall, Sasuke had barely dodged his last attack. He wasn't entirely sure, but the sensation that tingled his body with each passing second reminded him of the feeling of being unconscious. Although he wasn't sure how he might have pulled it off, it was entirely possible that the Uchiha had used some special attack to take him down. The real question, which irked whatever part of him was still holding on, wasn't exactly how he had been knocked out, but when he would return to reality. He would be sure to get back at Sasuke as soon as he could, but for now, he had to focus on waking up._

_ "Naruto…" A voice whispered in the distance, startling the young blonde. He felt like he was floating, and wasn't sure where he had heard that from. It was a man's voice, a somewhat familiar one at that. It was closely followed by a shallow echo of itself._

_ "Naruto…." Another voice rang out, this time being a woman's, again, being very familiar. These two people; who were they, and why was he suddenly hearing these things? As he began to question his own unconscious sanity, the darkness in front of him gave way; a pair of figures hunched over a small object. The image grew larger, until it was in clear view. One figure donned a white robe, with yellow hair and a blue forehead protector, standing behind what seemed like another person, who had beautiful red hair, with an admirable length to it. The sound of a child crying pierced his ears, disorienting him momentarily._

_After refocusing on the sight, it all became clear to him. His mouth was agape, and his hands started to shake, fear sweeping over his already limp body. The image was that of his mother and father, impaled on the claw of the nine tails, a recently born Naruto crying underneath. His mother, Kushina, grabbed a hold of the claw with incredible strength, but to no avail. His father, Minato, smiled as he slowly passed, holding onto his wife during his final moments. They wept, but in silence, taking consolation in the fact that their son, though now given the life of a jinchurki, was now saved. Their lips moved, but uttered no words. Tears flowed down his mother's face, and although he had heard this story before, it hurt him more seeing it in front of him. Slowly, the image faded, being replaced with yet another._

_ "Stay away from him." A woman whispered to his son, walking behind a small boy which stood alone amongst the crowd. "He isn't like us. He isn't human." As curious as the son seemed, he didn't dare question his mother._

_Another couple walked past the young blonde haired boy, a male shinobi whispering to his partner. "What a freak. If it wasn't for him….." They kept walking, their words no longer burning the air that surrounded him. Slowly, Naruto's heart rate increased, and with each passing image, his breath grew faster and faster, gasping for whatever air he could get. Another young man, wearing a Chunin vest and regulation attire, with tanned skin and a gash across his nose, looked at the boy in anger. It was subdued rage, yet rage nonetheless. He mumbled something underneath his breath, which, although quiet enough for Naruto not to hear, he could only imagine what Iruka had to say._

_Once more, the entire scene faded. As quickly as it left, it was replaced with an image of Sasuke, lying flat across the ground. Needles protruded from his body, blood staining his clothes and pooling around his corpse. He didn't move, his hands limp at his sides. Off in the distance, a pair of footsteps grew louder._

_ "Sasuke-kun?" A young woman called out, her voice hushed with uncertainty and fear. She ran into view, an older man in close proximity. As soon as she arrived, she fell to her knees, tears streaking down her face. "Sasuke-kun!" She shouted, her voice cracking as she continued to cry. The older man looked on in sympathy, and regret. The scene lasted another thirty seconds, the young pinkette hunched over the Uchiha's body, whimpering at his fate, barely calling his name every few passing moments. Slowly, that scene faded as well._

_It was like living in a nightmare for Naruto. He felt himself sweating, chills coursing through his nerves. His breathing was labored, yet intense, as if the room was running out of air. Scene after scene played in front of him, reliving moments such as his first encounter with the Akatsuki, his encounter with Sasuke on both the hospital roof and the Valley of the End, and even a young Sakura, begging him to bring back her 'Sasuke-kun.' These memories briefly subsided, only to return to his a time after his travels with his master._

_He witnessed his first encounter with another pair of the Akatsuki, the ones who captured Gaara, whose lifeless body was taken hostage by one of Deidara's creations. Although he knew how all of this turned out, it felt different seeing it all unfold from another perspective. Dissipating in the darkness, he was recaptured by the scene on Tenchi Bridge. It wasn't so much the fight with Orochimaru that shook him up, but his loss of control. He formed four tails that day, causing him to go on a rampage of destruction. His primary target remained his enemies, but there was one instance of friendly fire, and it was entirely his fault. A teary eyed Sakura ran up to him, shouting his name out of fear and worry. His red embodiment slowly turned, catching her gaze mid stride. Halting, she continued to shout at him. Just as she thought she had done something to calm the beast, he lashed out at her, scarring her in the process._

_ He was being torn apart, but not limb by limb, but vein by vein. His heart collapsed, as if the very darkness that surrounded him tore right through him. Why was he envisioning all of these horrible thoughts once more? Hadn't living them through once been enough? This wasn't just a nightmare, it was Hell, and he was now certain that he was no longer knocked out, but dead. Whatever his sparring partner did to him was either truly horrendous, or there was a misunderstanding. Out of pure denial, Naruto decided that, with whatever sanity he still retained as he frantically wished for an end, Sasuke had not killed him. Instead, he was undergoing something much more despicable; Genjutsu, an Uchiha specialty. All he had to do was release it. He attempted to summon his chakra, closing his eyes and shouting "Release!" in between his frantic breaths, but as he peered open his eyes, he quickly discovered that he had not been returned to the training grounds. The blue skies were replaced with black, the foreground replaced with the same absence of light. Instead, more scenes played out before him; the death of his Master, the destruction of the leaf, the battle with Sasuke in the Land of Iron, and the death of many of his comrades, one cursed Hyūga in particular shocking him to his very core. _

_Each scene played in horrid detail, until finally, they all dispersed. His breathing remained elevated, uncertain of what was to come next. As quickly as he thought it was over, one final display emerged. It was quiet; small, white flakes slowly drifting downward. Two figures stood only a few feet away. On the left, Sakura slowly averted her gaze, a blush crossing her features, with Naruto looking on in awe._

_ "Wha-, what did you just say?" Naruto asked, confusion filling his every word. _

_ "I said I…. love you, Naruto." Sakura moved a few steps closer, closing in with a tight embrace as she continued the all too familiar speech. She went on about how Sasuke had only hurt her, whereas Naruto was always there to save her. She was truly grateful, but he could see right through her. _

_He wished he could shout out to his faded self, telling him to accept her offer, but he couldn't speak. His lips would move, but no words would echo through the blackness. Instead, his unforgettable rebuttal once more rang through his ears._

_ "I hate people who lie to themselves." _

_He looked down at her confidently, where she faltered. Although Sakura was a little shocked to hear him say it, deep know she knew her plan would fail. What was more surprising is that she was so desperate, that she used his emotions to hopefully persuade him. Naruto now knew what she was trying to do, and not only accepted it, but appreciated it. He wasn't as upset with her as others thought he would be. It wasn't just because she was his precious 'Sakura-chan,' but because Naruto felt that somewhere, deep down, there could have been some truth to those words. _

_The fact that this moment was replaying, along with all the others, meant something though. Every single one of these moments in time shared something in common. In each one of them, somewhere, somehow, he failed. His own shortcomings prevented the happiness of others, causing them much more grief than he had ever encountered. Was he misguided, or just selfish from the start? His parents sacrificed themselves for him, and to Naruto, he knew he could never live up to that model of selflessness._

_ As he pondered the possibilities of his actions, both past and present, he slowly drifted off into the darkness, unaware of what was unfolding outside of him._

* * *

In an instant, Naruto's body went limp, crashing and skidding across the dirt. The Uchiha simply sheathed his katana, crossing his arms in victory. He smirked at the thought that Naruto, despite his impervious strength, could still fall for the easiest of tricks. Genjutsu was his clan's specialty, and every ninja knew that. For Naruto to once again fall prey to an Uchiha's eyes, it really was pathetic. After a few moments, the young Jōnin didn't move, affirming the Uchiha's victory. He slowly walked over toward the boy, his teammates rushing over to help.

"Naruto!" Sakura shouted, sprinting over to him as quickly as possible. Kakashi followed right behind her, hoping that his student could come up with some good news about his condition, and that his other student could conjure up a proper explanation. Kakashi's students, now standing in confusion, looked on at the scene, contemplating whether they should try to help, or if standing by on the sidelines was the best way they could help.

As quickly as she made it to him, Sakura knelt down beside him, checking him for any sort of vitals. He had a pulse, which began to increase dramatically. She held his hand, which began to sweat. His breathing became heavy and quick, rapidly increasing as he laid in her arms. He would twitch in her embrace every few seconds, twisting and turning in what seemed like pain. Although she sensed no major physical damage, she feared the worst, as both her and Kakashi knew that what was troubling him most was not external, but internal, and Genjutsu was the last thing the blonde needed.

Her gaze shot up, staring the Uchiha with a deadly stare. "What did you do to him, Sasuke." She asked, venom striking each of her words. The young man looked down as blandly as he could, easily giving an explanation while his two comrades looked at him, seeking an answer as soon as possible.

"I ended the fight, is all. The idiot should know what the sharingan is capable of by now, and he fell right into my Genjutsu. Don't worry, he should be up soon." He paused looking up at his Sensei, who was uncertain how to respond. "If you didn't want me to use it, you should have set up stricter parameters on our match, right, Sensei?"

What bothered the silver haired man most wasn't that the Uchiha used his eye's magnificent power, rather, that Sasuke was right. Kakashi did not feel the need to strengthen the limits on this battle, as he thought the two would easily hold back. Serious Genjutsu, much like what Sasuke just pulled, should have strictly been prohibited, especially given Naruto's current mental state. Instead, Kakashi made a grave miscalculation, and figured that there was no need to be so in depth with the rules.

"Sasuke, high level Genjutsu like that was unnecessary." He responded, trying to articulate his exact thoughts into words. "I thought that you would understand that, especially given the circumstances." Sasuke raised his right brow, giving a quizzical expression. At that instant, both Kakashi and Sakura realized they had made another mistake. They should have informed Sasuke of Naruto's mental state before the match. Sakura planned on informing him later that day in an effort to not spoil the team's fun for the day, figuring that, if Sasuke found out too soon, he would either attempt to help resolve the issue himself, or at the very least act differently toward his best friend, which inadvertently could make things worse. Sakura now wished that she had taken the risk and made it clear to Sasuke, as the risks now were much higher.

"Release!" Sakura shouted, summoning chakra to her palms. Naruto did not wake, rather, his condition worsened. His breathing became erratic, along with his heart rate. After a few brief moments, she tried again, with the same outcome.

"He's hyperventilating! Come on, why isn't this working?! The Genjutsu should be released by now, right? Kakashi-Sensei, you try!" The one thing she prayed he would not develop again did just that. She hoped the hyperventilation was a onetime thing, but now, it was apparent that it was coming back. Although this episode was clearly triggered by something drastic, she was worried that it would persistently catch up to him. Eventually, any small scare could send him into a fit, and that would mix awfully with his other possible condition.

"There's no use, Sakura. This Genjutsu cannot be released so easily." Sasuke said collectively, despite the distraught atmosphere that surrounded them. Kakashi had begun to kneel down to help the medical ninja, but now returned to his standing post.

"Alright, then you release it, Sasuke." She looked back up at him, her green eyes staring into his now blackened orbs. She still retained much of her frustration at the Uchiha, but was now angrier at herself than she was at him.

"I can't either." He said, a shock crossing the remaining two's faces. "It's a very short jutsu, for both us and him. He should be awake momentarily."

A few moments passed before he finally spoke up once more. This time, Sasuke was the one looking for answers.

"What special circumstances?" Sasuke asked; his interests peaked. He had an idea that something was up, and he now felt that, with his sudden choice in jutsu, he made a mistake. "You said he was sick the other day. Is it related to that?"

"Yes." Sakura said, attempting to sooth the blonde in her arms. He remained unconscious, twitching and turning in her lap, his breathing finally starting to calm down a bit. "Have you noticed him acting a little…." She paused, hoping to find the best way to phrase it. Before she could continue, the Uchiha finished for her.

"Strange? Yeah." He remarked, looking down into Naruto's tense expression. "He seemed to be spacing out a bit more than usual, and I worked with him on a mission a month or so back." The two remaining Jōnin looked at him, their attention fully caught by the sudden revelation. "He was different. I figured that, at first, he had just finally matured into a shinobi. By the end of the assignment, though, I could tell something was off. He was in and out. He fought not only for the mission's sake, but for the fun of it, as if he was blowing off steam. He wasn't overly violent or cruel to our opponents, just eager to get in the fight. He wanted to take all on himself." Sasuke looked up at his sensei, then back down to Sakura. "Is there a reason as to why he's been blowing off steam?"

"Well, we aren't certain, but I think I may know the cause. I think he may be developing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; PTSD for short." She looked down at his limp figure, which had finally stopped moving around. His breathing also starting to slow down again, returning to a nominal exchange, his pulse quickly following the de-escalation. "I think he's just been through a lot. All the stress is building up. That's why he seems eager to fight, and go on missions, and spar even for just a few minutes."

After a few moments, a tear streaked down her cheek, falling on the blonde's sleeve. "Why is it always him?" Her cries were muffled as she bent over and sobbed into his flak jacket. Sasuke knelt down beside her, placing his hand on her shoulder in an effort to comfort her. Kakashi walked back to his students, trying to figure out the best way to explain it all.

"Sensei! What's wrong?!" Takashi was the first to ask, the other two students seeming concerned. "Is Naruto okay?"

"He's fine, Takashi. No need to worry." Kakashi remarked as he drew near, placing his hand on the boys shoulder. "Sasuke used a Genjutsu on him. He'll be waking up momentarily." Kakashi smiled through his mask in an effort to lighten the mood. "Now, let's all take a break while those three get themselves reoriented. I want to go over all the tactics you learned during their match, and then we're going to move on to some team exercises. Understood?"

"Yes, Sensei." All three of them chimed. Sadao was the first to pipe up.

"Told you he was beat. The Sharingan is too powerful." The boy looked unsympathetic on the matter. Truth be told, Sadao enjoyed getting on Takashi's nerves from time to time. He knew this was one sure-fire way to accomplish just that.

"No way!" Takashi replied, his fist put in a ready stance. "Naruto wasn't going all out. If he was, he totally would have beat the Uchiha!" The two boys stared each other down, with Haru eventually breaking the two up. Kakashi looked on, happiness breaking away from the scene unfolding behind him. This new team really was similar to his old one, in more ways than he originally thought. There was something about it that seemed eerie, sure, but it also seemed a bit nostalgic to him. It was like he had a clean slate to work on, and this time, he would prevent the same mistakes he made last time.

Meanwhile, as Team Kakashi began reviewing their notes, Sakura and Sasuke remained with Naruto, waiting for the moment when he would finally return. Sasuke looked on at the two with a little pride, which at first felt strange to him. After a few quite moments, he finally understood it, and spoke up.

"You two amaze me." He said, moving his hand from her shoulder and standing on his feet. "After all we've been through, no matter what, you two stuck up for each other." He started to walk away from the two, heading toward the dirt path that lead back to the village. His closing words were barely heard by Sakura. "Don't let him go."

As she watched her teammate walk to the fence, she pondered what he meant by his words. There were quite a few things it could mean, both literal and metaphorical, and she didn't see Sasuke as a philosophical person. His words were always straight and to the point, no matter how harsh they may be. Just as she was about to call out to him, she felt a small stir in her lap. His hand finally returned her grasp, squeezing it firmly. He slowly opened his eyes, staring up into her.

"Sakura-chan…" he whispered, unsure of exactly what happened. "What happened. Did I win?" He slowly sat up, careful to stay in her embrace. He realized what was going on as soon as he said it, and although he was missing a good amount of details, he was happy that he was suddenly engulfed in her warmth. He moved a hand up to her cheek, whipping away a tear from her dazed expression.

"You've been crying." He said, his voice still hushed under his breath. "Are you okay?" She didn't reply. Instead, she continued to stare into his eyes, unsure of how to react. It wasn't that she thought she lost him, more so the fact that she lost him temporarily. Even if it was only for a few minutes, she didn't want to lose him again. Just as she felt during her confession, she felt the overriding necessity to protect what she held closest. Her bond with Sasuke and her Sensei was strong, but she would fight to the bitter end for Naruto. He had done so much for her, and even when he made a mistake, he kept going. He had fallen so many times, and she was never there to catch him. This time, she had. She had him in her arms, cradled in her lap. She wasn't exactly sure what Sasuke meant by his closing statement, but she was certain of one thing; she wouldn't let him go.

Naruto tried to get up, only to fall back down into her lap, grabbing his right arm in pain. He had landed on it at the conclusion of the match, which caused it to bruise badly. A small series of grunts could be heard from him as he felt around the damage in an attempt to pinpoint what it was. Sakura removed his searching hand by grabbing it with hers, her other hand hovering over the wound. A bluish green aura began sweeping over his limb, a tingling sensation slowly breaking away the pain.

"Sakura-chan." He said. "It isn't that bad. Help me up and I can-"

"It's easier for me just to heal you here." Sakura said, staring at the spot where the bruise was located. Once she was satisfied with her hand's location, finding the ideal spot for healing, she looked directly down at him. "It'll only take a minute. Just lay there." She whispered underneath her breath.

Not only did she want to make sure he was okay, but she truly did not want Naruto to move. The feeling of having him in her lap was soothing, his warmth radiating between the two. Butterflies filled her stomach, something she had recently been feeling in regards to the blonde. She wasn't sure why, but every time they touched, everything else didn't seem to matter. She felt surreal, wanting to take in every last bit of the moment and engrave it into her memory. She wished these moments could go on for longer, but Sakura new they had to end eventually.

Slowly, her aura began to fade, both of them pleased with her quick work. The bruises were gone and his arm could move about freely, which meant that Naruto could get right back up and continue the lesson, or he could have chosen to go home for the day. Regardless of his options, he could have escaped Sakura's clasp, but he chose not to. The two of them continued to stare into each other, redness swelling in each of their faces. Sakura's hand still held onto his dearly, hanging between the two atop his chest. He did not wish to break free from that either, instead returning the squeeze in affirmation. His pulse began to increase, but not because of his condition. This time, all his troubles, worries, and the fact that he _lost_ the battle left his mind. He was blissfully captured by her presence, and stayed because of her touch.

"Naruto, you did great out there." She said, smiling down at her teammate. "You would've beaten Sasuke if you hadn't fallen for his-"She paused, her eyes opening in shock as she recalled what just happened. "Genjutsu!" She shouted, causing him to sit up in fear.

"Naruto, what about the Genjutsu!?" As much as she hated to let go, especially so abruptly, there were more important matters than whatever just occurred between them. She wanted to find out exactly what happened during his unconsciousness, and what caused him to start having an episode.

"Ah, you're right, Sakura-chan!" Naruto exclaimed, leaving Sakura pleased to know that he understood what she was getting at, and why she was so suddenly concerned. She was happy to know that Naruto understood exactly what the priorities were here.

"Release!" He shouted, forming his hands into a seal and summoning his chakra. He reopened his eyes, only to find himself staring at the same scene: A confused Sakura sitting a few feet away and a now interested group of Genin and their Sensei staring over at the two of them from the shadows of the tree line. He was sure of it. This had to be a Genjutsu, Naruto thought, as Sakura was acting very strangely toward him. Sakura, after thinking it through, realized what he was doing. He thought that their little 'moment' they just shared couldn't possible happen in reality, and that he was _obviously_ still trapped in a jutsu.

"Damn, that Teme. This must be one his high level Genjutsu. Release!" He once more shouted, with still no changes to his surroundings. The only difference was that Sakura's confusion was now swapped out for annoyance. She stood up and walked over toward him. By the time he stood back up, she raised her fist and brought it down on top of his head.

"This isn't Genjutsu, you idiot!" She shouted as he slowly recuperated from the blow. Despite the inevitable pain he would feel for a few moments, she wasn't about to go healing him. It was strange how one minute, Naruto could turn her motionless, where the next, she would be attempting to 'straighten him out.' She figured, along with everyone else, that was just part of his personality. This time, she inwardly smiled as she felt her fist collide with his soft spikes. She was glad to see the same goofy, unpredictable, and unaware side of Naruto still lived on. Her mission wasn't to change Naruto, but to keep that side alive, and keep it showing from time to time.

"Ah, that one hurt, Sakura-chan!" He winced for a moment until he glanced up at his teammate, her state of annoyance being quickly displaced by concern. In an instant, he straightened himself out.

"Sakura-chan, what did you mean?" He asked.

"The Genjutsu that Sasuke put on you. What happened in there?" She asked, eager to take notes on his experience. She sounded distraught, as if what he experienced had harmed her more than him. Had it?

Chills shot up his spin as the memories he relived played on in his mind. His expression was bland, giving no signs of weakness. His eyes betrayed him as they became cold, dulling in the light. Sakura could see right through him, and knew whatever had happened was something drastic. She felt that it was best to elaborate.

"Naruto, you have to tell me." She asked, once more grabbing his hand with both of hers. "Thoughts can be a scary thing, and from the looks of things, this was no exception. While you were trapped in the jutsu, you began to shake and kick around. Your pulse jumped sporadically and you began to hyperventilate. I need to know what happened." She paused, looking up into his down casted gaze. "I was scared. I want to know how to prevent that from ever happening again."

Naruto was no longer surprised by Sakura's concern for him. She was right; his thoughts had gotten the better of him, overwhelming him with fear and confusion. He figured his body's reaction to the event was part of the jutsu, or at least, he had hoped it was. Not only was he upset that he worried everyone on the outside, but he was worried that Sakura's fears now held some validity. With his hyperventilation returning at the recollection of his past, he was unsure how he was going to function. He wasn't even sure if he could explain it all to her without having another episode.

"_Maybe Sakura-chan is right."_ He thought. "_Maybe there is something wrong with me. Am I broken?"_

"Naruto?" She asked under a hushed breath, closing the gap between them a bit more, waving her hand in front of his eyes. He was spacing out, and she was now more convinced than ever. Something was wrong, and she was on a mission to find out what it was, and how to resolve it. She was on a mission to protect him.

"Sakura-chan, lets head back to my apartment." He finally returned, speaking in the same subtle tone she picked. "I'll explain there."

She paused, looking up into his eyes, which now began to return their gaze at hers. His sapphire orbs were so deep and easy to get lost in. Under normal circumstances, Sakura could have found a million excuses to keep looking into them, captivated by their beauty. Instead, she had work to do, and wasn't going to allow her emotions intercept that. She had to stay diligent, for his sake.

Sakura gathered their equipment, said her goodbyes, and apologized for the sudden conclusion of their training exercise. Kakashi fully understood, and attempted to keep as little details from escaping as possible. He did not wish to worry his team, which could lead to more people finding out about Naruto's condition. For now, they wished for this to remain a classified affair amongst their squad and closest comrades. Satisfied with her salutation, she walked back toward the dirt path, meeting Naruto along the way. He was leaning against the chain link fence, his hands in his pockets. The image didn't remind her of Naruto, with his usual smile and laid back stance; his arms crossed casually behind his head as he walked. Instead, it eerily reminded her of Sasuke before he left the village; his quiet, brooding self, attempting to limit conversation and limit appearances just as equally. Naruto was changing, and she wouldn't let him change into that.

As the two met at the gate, they began their walk back to the village. The trees and rooftops would have been much faster, but they didn't want to push themselves. They both wanted this moment to last longer. Their walk, as quite as it was, brought both of them back to when Naruto would walk her home after missions or training. Even if they were quite, which Naruto rarely was, they were enjoyable nonetheless. It was moments like these that, once again, reminded her of the old Naruto. She didn't want to see that part of him go.

Something was wrong, and she was on a mission to find out what it was. She was not going to fail.


	9. Chapter 8

A/N: Sorry for the lack of updates the past few days. Work needed me for a few emergency shifts, and honestly all spare time I still had was being devoted to other things, so I didn't get to sit down and really get to work. Last night and this morning I did my best to get this completed! With this chapter, I will be reaching the end very, very soon. Expect only one final entry, and that'll be it.

Once this is done, I will be working on prompts sent my way (most likely doing oneshots for a while), so please go ahead and send me some ideas!

Anyway, enough about me; enjoy!

* * *

The walk back to his apartment was quiet, just as they both predicted it would be. Taking roughly an hour, they were fortunate not to run into anyone they knew. There were a few people who knew of them, and gave their usual greetings and praise, but that was manageable. Sakura wasn't sure if Naruto would want to be around anyone for a while, and Naruto was unsure of that himself. The only person he felt he could depend on right now was Sakura, and he wasn't sure why. All his other friends, his sensei, and even the Hokage herself would gladly lend him an ear and listen to what was burning through his mind and charring his soul. Something about Sakura, though, made him feel comfortable. It was almost as if he was able to be more himself around her, even down to his deepest thoughts. It was a sensation that was unique to her, and unique to their relationship.

They approached his door, remaining silent; their footsteps and unlocking of the door breaking the eerie silence between the two. They removed their shoes and walked down the hall. Sakura removed her flak jacket, placing it on the floor by the door. Naruto shrugged his off next to his weapons cabinet, long with his black forehead protector; his orange track jacket finally showing once more. Naruto let out a sigh and fell to the couch, laying down horizontally and taking up most of the space. Sakura opted to change in the guest room first, donning her casual clothes as opposed to her regulation attire. Before she sat down, she made a visit to the kitchen beforehand.

"Want anything while I'm in here?" She asked cheerfully, despite their current predicament. Sakura wanted Naruto to feel at home and as relaxed as possible. For all she knew, what they were about to discuss could end up being very laboring on the young man.

"Water, please." He replied, his voice barely audible as it echoed through the room. Sakura returned with a glass of water for him and a glass of lemonade for her. She sat down on the leather recliner adjacent from the couch, setting both their glasses on the coffee table. She folded her hands in her lap and sat backward a bit. Naruto sat up, leaning in as he cautiously sipped on his beverage. She looked on at him with concern. After a few brief moments, he broke the silence.

"Sakura-chan, I don't want you to worry about what happened today."

"It's too late for that, Naruto." She replied confidently. "Whatever happened, happened. I need to fix that."

"I'm not sure if there is anything you can really do, though." He took another long sip from his glass, aware that he was doing it to stall. He didn't want to have to explain it all to Sakura, especially if it would only make things worse.

"Naruto," She asked calmly. "Please tell me what happened when you were trapped in the Genjutsu."

"I can't." he instantly shot back. "Its too…."

"Too what?" Sakura asked, staring into his worried gaze as he recollected his nightmare.

"Too painful." He finished, his voice beginning to crack in sadness. "It's better if we just leave it be. I'll forget about it soon enough."

"Naruto, you're strong, but you can't always act like that. Stop trying to be the perfect man you think you have to be, alright? You're allowed to break down those walls from time to time." Sakura was determined to unravel the truth, more than he was determined to hide it. He felt himself start to falter.

"For now, you don't have to break those walls. Just let me inside them for once. I want to know what makes you tick, and how to fix you."

His gaze shot up instantly, his eyes glistening with tears, ready to roll down his whiskered cheeks. It shook her a bit more than she showed, as she wanted to remain as strong as possible. What he said next is what hurt her most.

"What, that's it?" He asked, his voice cracking as his built up emotions started to unravel themselves. "You think I'm broken, too?" His hands turned to fists in his lap, his knuckles turning white as he strengthened his hold.

"Wha- Naruto!" She exclaimed, her rage being completely subdued by her fear. "What are you saying? You aren't broken, damn it! Just….." She finally calmed her voice as she neared the end of her sentence.

"… injured."

He scoffed at her words. He wasn't trying to be rude, and she understood that. "Broken; injured. Same thing." He replied, finally relinquishing his tightened grip and hunching over in his seat, his hands now covering his face while his elbows rested on his knees. "I failed."

"Naruto." She got up and sat next to him in an attempt to close the gap. "You lost a sparring match today; big deal. You're the strongest shinobi in the world, so just because he beat you doesn't mea-"

"Not just that, Sakura-chan." His voice was muffled while his hands hid his face. She wasn't sure if he was concerned about covering his tears or covering his face entirely from her. "Today I messed up; even after all I've done. I should have known better. It's just another example."

"Example of what?" She asked.

" Just think back, Sakura-chan."

"Think back to what, Naruto? You have to be more clear." She was patient with the blonde, but hated all the cryptic things he was saying. Not because it was hard to decipher, but because it was completely out of his nature. He was usually so direct, and it hurt to see him trying to hide something so much.

"All the times I failed. They were all because I'm not good enough."

"Not good enough?" She instantly returned. "Naruto, you're the hero of the world. How are you not good enough?"

"That was just a fluke, Sakura-chan. You, Sasuke, sensei, and the rest of the alliance won that battle. I think without me-"

"Without you we would have lost, the village would have been destroyed, and…" He finally looked over to her as she paused, his tears wiped away and his eyes still glistening. "I would have lost you."

He looked on in defeat. He knew that Sakura wasn't there to simply get on his case. Rather, she was there to help him. He was unsure how to go about it, but she was right. He had to let her in way past his comfort zone. He already established that he may have the condition she was certain about, that much was evident. He was hoping he could just ignore it, and eventually it would go away, however, that didn't seem like that case. It would be persistent, and eventually, it would consume him. The only thing that would be as persistent was the medical shinobi herself, and if he had to choose one to cave into, it would be her.

He sighed, sitting back in his seat. The darkness of the room was penetrated by the light from outside, slowly changing in exposure as clouds rolled across the sky, blocking the light from time to time. If there was any time to do it, now would be the time.

"Alright, Sakura-chan. I'll tell you." He said. He could feel his pulse begging to pick up at the thought, and his breathing started to increase. He hadn't even begun, and he could already feel his hyperventilation start to begin. He was about to tell Sakura, but she noticed before he could. He was unaware that he was showing physical signs of his condition, but he was glad she came to the rescue, placing her hand in his, which sat dormant on the leather between the two. He looked over at her bright features, taking in every bit of her with his senses. Her familiar smell, soft skin, beautiful green eyes, and purple seal all matched perfectly, soothing him back to his previously meditated state.

She smiled at him, not just because she was able to calm him, but because she was finally going to get some answers, and ultimately help him.

* * *

Naruto went through every last detail of his experience. It was horrible that a simple Genjutsu had been capable of doing this much damage to the young man before her. She had to remind herself to _persuade_ Sasuke to never use that during a sparring match again, and to also apologize for the one-time occurrence. She knew the Uchiha had no control over what Naruto would endure during his time unconscious, but assuming it held the same effect on whoever it attacked, it was despicable nonetheless.

Although many of the scenes he depicted hurt him, he carried on, careful to explain each scene with enough detail and without getting hung up on any of them in particular. His muscles would tense up, his breathing would sharpen, and his hands would become moist, but Sakura kept reassuring him, doing whatever it took to keep him calm. They would take breaks after a few scenes as a preventative measure. They'd discuss whatever came to mind, usually small talk such as the weather or any local news they heard. After a few minutes, they'd continue. This trend went on for about an hour or so, not that either of them were keeping track.

"That was just about it." He said, signaling to her that he was just about concluded. "Well, there is one more, but it was really pointless."

"Naruto." She asked, a little bit of carefully directed seriousness marking her words. "When I told you to tell me everything, I meant everything. I don't care if you think it was unimportant; spill it."

"Okay." Usually, Naruto would have been slightly frightened by her serious nature, although this time, he was more worried about her persistence.

"It's what happened before the war, right before the battle at the Samurai bridge. It was between us." In an instant, she shot up, straightening her body in her seat. She couldn't believe that, out of all the memories, that was the last one for him to endure. The scene played over in her head; the snow quietly falling as she falsely confessed her love to him. At the time, it made sense to travel out to the remote village in order to protect him, but looking back on it all, it just seemed selfish and completely unwarranted. Even after she falsely confessed to Naruto, poisoned her teammates, and confronted Sasuke at the bridge, she still couldn't kill him. She still couldn't decide if her actions were justified, and if she would be protecting what she prized most as opposed to hurting it. Today, it seemed pretty obvious.

"Do you need me to explain, Sakura-chan?" He asked, unsure if either of them wanted to relive that experience once more. "All that I saw was us standing in the snow. You confessed to me, and I rejected you coldly, and even called you a liar, implying that I…. hated you." He paused once more, looking down at his empty glass. "I never apologized for that."

She thought about it on her walk back; all the missed opportunities in the past and possibilities of the future. Although she was unsure exactly when or why she changed, she had. As a matter of fact, Sakura wasn't sure if it was even a change, more so a revelation of sorts.

For the longest time, she was in love with Sasuke Uchiha. Why exactly was that? In her youth, she thought he was the coolest, smartest, and strongest of her class. He was popular among all the other girls, whom she strived to fit in with from time to time, which made him the perfect goal. Was it because she wanted to be the most popular girl in her class, or did she really think she knew what love was?

Whenever she saw him before he left the village, she would feel her cheeks heat up and her personality chipper. She felt a tingling in the pit of her stomach, and that signified to her that her school crush had blossomed into something much greater. Being on the same team certainly added to their friendship, however, she always blamed herself, and more often Naruto, for her own romantic shortcomings. Once he left the village, though, there was an extreme sense of loss hanging over her emotions. It was never truly distinguished whether what she felt was in regards to the loss of a teammate or the loss of a love interest. After three years, once Naruto officially returned to the village, things seemed to change.

Her feelings for the Uchiha still lingered, but more so toward the comradery her whole team shared. It was never the same without Sasuke; however, Naruto began filling the gap, even before he embarked with Master Jiraiya on his training venture. When Naruto returned, a little bit of that loss, which slowly amassed inside her, simply vanished. Her first encounter with Sasuke after his departure nearly destroyed all of her progress, but she carried on. For what she felt upon temporarily reuniting with Sasuke wasn't love, nor a petty crush, but a yearning for her squad, let alone her friend, to be both complete and happy once more. That's why her second encounter with the rouge ninja went completely different. That time, she wasn't just settled on her happiness, or even her team's. Instead, she was solely focused on Naruto's.

Attempting to kill Sasuke, and more relevantly, trying to falsify her feelings for Naruto, was a mistake on her part. She understood that what she tried to do might have very well hurt Naruto more than protected him. Naruto was not only trying to save Sasuke for her, or the village, but for himself. They were best friends, whether they really knew it. She thought that she could fix things, but she only made things worse. Although he attempted to reassure her, she was certain she had made a grave miscalculation.

As time went on, she seemed to heal. With the war looming overhead, and Sasuke being a potential ally of the enemy, she truly learned what it meant to move on. After Sasuke's previous attempt at taking her life, she knew that the young Uchiha had zero emotion toward her. Who he once was had completely dissipated along with the past.

During the final battle, Sasuke had certainly managed to redeem a good amount of himself. To the village and the rest of the ninja world, he was forgiven, as his efforts contributed in the salvation of everyone. He began to warm up to his long forgotten comrades again, appearing at miscellaneous social events and even becoming somewhat sociable at said events. During their team exercises, it was true that Team Seven had finally been reunited, as they shared the same dynamic as they always had. Despite all these reimbursements for his mistakes, Sakura still felt as if she had moved on.

She was yet to inform the blonde of the situation, though, as she wasn't all too sure of herself until the day before. Ever since Naruto returned to the village all that time ago, she felt differently about him; that much was certain. It wasn't until the direct aftermath of the war that everything seemed to make sense to her. It was possible that, given everything that they've endured, she did in fact fall in love with Naruto Uzumaki. She wanted to make sure everything was right when she finally confessed, though, and by the time she felt she was ready, there were rumors amongst their friends that Naruto was changing. That's when they all had the discussion. One spring afternoon, they all met up atop the Hokage Mansion. After an hour or so, they all came to conclusion that in order to help, they needed to find out more; and Sakura was absolutely perfect for that position.

She wasn't just a spy, though. She was doing this for him. In fact, they all were. It may have seemed a little indirect and underhanded to go about it without simply bringing it up one day, but they figured having a large 'intervention' type ordeal for Naruto could only make things worse, or rather, make him bury the truth further than he already tried to. Everyone knew he would open up more to Sakura, and if anyone could help him, it was her.

It might have been selfish, but she had to do it. Finally relinquishing her feelings to him would not only take a lot out of her, but him as well. Given his current state, she was unsure if it was wise, let alone how he would react. For all she knew, it could help him much more than intended, though the idea seemed risky. She was sure that he still cared for her that way, as made apparent by their little 'moment' at the training field. What she was unsure of was if he would deny her once more out of the fear that she was lying. For starters, it was best to set the record straight and explain her past mistake.

She slowly rubbed circles into his back in an attempt to calm him. He seemed to be cooling down a bit, the tears no longer flowing and his hands cupping each other in his lap. He remained hunched over, staring out the window and averting his gaze. Naruto was not only embarrassed to be crying in front of her, but also embarrassed with himself, and he wasn't sure why.

"Naruto…" Sakura whispered, hoping to regain his attention before he spaced out completely. His eyes remained unfocused and diverted away from her. "How do you feel?"

"I don't know, Sakura. I don't know." His voice no longer cracked, but it was deep and hushed, as if he was afraid to answer her. "I feel weak. I feel broken. I feel alone."

"But you aren't alone." She put her hand in his, cupping it confidently. She could feel the sweat on his palms, signifying his apparent nervousness. "You have me."

Sakura leaned in slowly, bringing her lips closer to his cheek. He was unaware of what she was doing; his mind slowly drifting in and out, captivated by her words. He was unsure what she meant, and tried to process it. She came in, her soft lips mere inches away. She wasn't exactly sure why she was doing it, but it just seemed right. Her previous worries in regards to her actions seemed nullified, as if the planets aligned and gave her a sign. She had to do this. Hiding it from him would only make things worse. Closing her eyes, she waited for impact.

"Sakura-chan, you don't get it." He sat up in an instant, getting up from his seat and moving toward the window, breaking her grip in the process. Her eyes shot open, retracting her face from his previously occupied space. He was so lost in his thoughts that he was oblivious to what she almost did. Sakura looked on in sympathetic understanding.

"It's too complicated, Sakura-chan. None of it makes sense to me anymore. Was my 'nindo' just a sham?" She was shocked to hear those words, as she never once recalled Naruto doubting his ninja way of life. She replied instantly, her words projected rapidly and loudly.

"What are you saying now, Naruto?! Your 'nindo' has inspired so many people to become not just better shinobi, but better people! To look back on yourself like that is just wrong." She stood up and walked over to him, and just as the scene played out the night before, she wrapped in from behind, hoping her tight embrace would break his trance. For a few moments, he remained still, unsure how to process their sudden interaction. Unlike the previous night, where he found himself lulled by her presence, he broke free instantaneously. He turned around and grabbed her by the shoulders once more, just as he did before. His glare, however, reminded her all too much of their little venture in the Land of Iron. He stared down at her intensely, as if suddenly angered by her words.

"Why do you care so much about me?" His words echoed through the room, coinciding with the same words Sasuke once spoke during their first fight. She looked on confidently, unmoved by his sudden display of anger. She knew that anger was one of the easiest ways to deal with stress, and although it was out of character for him to be mad at her, let alone anyone, she understood that what he was going through was tough, and therefore, she had to allow him to vent in whatever ways he could. She conjured up a response quickly, again, in an effort to calm him down. Before she could reply, her lips beginning to part, he spoke once more.

"Is it just because we're teammates? Is this some sort of mission to you? Or…." He faltered at the end of his words.

"Or what?" She asked, her interests peaked at his sudden pause.

"Or is there something more between us?" He asked, his anger slowly subsiding, replaced with desperation. "Are we more than just teammates, or goals, or friends?" He looked on at her with fear. Fear that he finally slipped, and she would reject completely. He was unsure as to what he did and why he did it. He knew what he was implying, and he was sure she understood as well. Although his feelings never changed, and he was sure she felt something greater toward him, he was worried that what he did would ruin everything he worked so hard for. Their dynamic was not only perfect, but as previously reminded within the past twenty four hours, Sakura was the only person he felt that he could truly open up to. If he somehow managed to ruin that bond, he would never be able to forgive himself.

Sakura's expression was at first confused, but then slowly shifted to awe as she understood what the blonde meant. Sakura was shocked at what he was implying, but was glad that he continued to show signs of his affection toward her.

Naruto began to sweat, his breathing picking up once more. He was worried that he was about to have another episode, and for that to happen over Sakura would be a new low, or at least to him it would be. He began to doubt himself, and tried to think of an explanation. He would be nothing more than a failure once more, making this another thought to be bundled with the rest he was forced to relive in his mind. He couldn't come up with a reason, though, and he began to shake slightly, feeling his breathing becoming labored.

Sakura didn't let this go unnoticed. Despite the urgency in her reply, she wasn't sure what to say to him. She wanted to confess, but didn't think it would happen like this. She was unprepared. At a loss for words, she picked up where she left off on the sofa and brought her face closer to his. She shifted her arms, grabbing each of his hands off her shoulders and gripping them tightly between their waists.

"Naruto, listen to me." She said in a whisper. "I finally understand."

"Understand? Understand what?" He asked, a blush crept along his face, tinging his cheeks with shades of red.

"What I said back before the war." She paused, articulating her thoughts. "When I said I loved you; I know I was wrong. I know that, ultimately, I was trying to protect you from Sasuke. What I did to you was wrong, and I'm sorry." She wanted to spare herself from the awkwardness of it all, and stare out into the azure sky that slowly drifted out the window, but she knew what she was doing required her full, undivided attention, She owed him that much.

"Sakura-chan, I-"

"I'm not finished." She quickly announced, shutting him down. "What I said, though, had at least a little bit of truth to it. Every time we've met since then, I've had a strange sensation building up inside me. It doesn't feel like what it did when I would talk to Sasuke-kun, though." At the mention of his name, the moment felt ruined to Naruto. He was upset that he couldn't, as proven today, keep up with Sasuke. He looked down to the floor in self-pity, a rarity for him especially. Sakura didn't let this go unnoticed either, and responded in a way that would lighten his mood.

"But, I think I've finally realized something." She closed the gap more, her face inches away from his. "I didn't know what love is. Maybe, what I feel for you now….. Maybe that's what love is." She pulled his arms downward, causing his body to tilt forward. Her forehead came in contact with his, now resting on each other. "Like I said before, I'm here to protect you. This time, it isn't from Sasuke, or the Akatsuki, or anyone else. Only yourself." With that, she once more closed the gap, giving their lips a taste of each other. They brushed against each other at first, timid at their close encounter. Slowly, they locked, easing into it. Naruto was puzzled, to say the least, but for a few brief moments, he just didn't care if it made sense. He was caught up in the euphoric sensation that radiated from her touch that he forgot what was going on, and what Sakura had really just implied.

After a few moments, he broke their kiss. He looked on in shock, with an open mouth and widened eyes. She looked up at him with guilt and fear. She worried that her selfishness had ruined their relationship once more, and that she was doomed to a fate worse than death. Before she could muster up the courage and the words to explain, he spoke up.

"Sakura-chan, what was tha-"

"A kiss, you idiot." She smiled, relieved that he was at least _speaking_ to her. She blushed profusely at the act, still captivated by his sweet taste. "I love you, Naruto."

He remained stunned, that much was certain. He was unsure if what she was saying was true, or if he somehow still remained trapped by that Genjutsu. He looked into her eyes, scanning them for weakness. He found none, signifying that she wasn't lying, or so he could assume. Everything she had been doing made sense now. It wasn't just because they were friends, teammates, and all that, but because she really was in love with him. Slowly, his astounded features shifted to that of happiness and unrivaled excitement.

"Wha- Sakura-chan, you- you love me?" Her smile widened, and she replied with a hushed 'yes.' In an instant, he replied.

"I love you too, Sakura-chan." He wrapped his arms around her, strengthen his grip incrementally until she had to force him to undo it. Quickly, he released his grip, as if something was wrong. He moved over toward his glass door, sliding it away to expose his balcony. He ran out onto it, hunching himself over the railing.

"Hey, everyone!" He shouted. "Sakura Haruno just said that she's in love with me, Naruto Uzumaki! I say again, she loves me!" He waved at the people below, who were at first confused by his sudden outburst, however, after some analyzing of the statement he made, many of the villagers cheered for him. It could have been anyone shouting that from above, and they would have done the same, but seeing as it was the future Hokage, everyone decided to pitch in, shouting back short admirations and congratulations.

Normally, Sakura would have dragged him inside by the ear and whacked him on the head. This time, she let him have his moment. After his time out on the balcony was fulfilled, he walked back toward the door, with Sakura meeting him hallway there on the balcony. She planted a kiss on his cheek and wrapped her arms around him.

"So, does this mean you'll be moving in permanently?" He asked, hoping for the right answer.

"Well, yes, but don't think I'll be sleeping in the guest room anymore." She replied, a persistent blush creeping up on her face. "I'll be in your bed for now on. It is big enough for two, right?"

They both laughed at her joke, more so out of happiness than it was out of comedic value. Surprising Sakura, he picked her up and carried her inside, sliding the door with his foot on his way in. She gripped the fabric of his jacket as he walked her in. She looked up at him as he navigated his way around the furniture and down the hall. She saw the confident side of him once more; the side that she wanted to remain just as strong as it did all these years.

"Let's go check, just to be sure." He said, walking down the hall and into the bedroom. They smiled the entire way there, just out the sheer happiness of the entire situation. As Sakura was being carried by her hero, her thoughts began to wander. They were happy now, and it seemed as if the old Naruto was making another appearance, but she wasn't sure how long it would all last. She hated to be pessimistic, but it was hard to forget that she still had a job to do, and he still had a recovery to pull through.

That day ended up being a major breakthrough for him, as indicated by her medical journal she had thrown in her bag. As the sun began to settle, the two of them went out to dinner. Albeit it wasn't all that fancy, Ichiraku Ramen was a happening place for the two. All those years of loyalty to his favorite ramen stand meant the couple ate free, which was an added bonus to their night. Afterward, they visited the same park Naruto found himself spending his days in.

He sat down on the same bench as usual, taking in the all to familiar scene. The breeze still whipped through his hair and the stream still flowed. The flowers still blossomed and the trees still stood strong. His arm was stretched across the backboard of the bench, though this time, it was there to hold her. The scent of flowers and cut grass was interrupted by the strawberry that distinguished her presence. She was leaning into him, her head resting on his chest. It was all too surreal for him, as if he was living a dream. Just a day before, he found himself living what seemed like a nightmare, what seemed like a dull and uninteresting existence, constantly reminding himself of his past. Today, he had someone to break up the monotony, and someone to look at the future with. It made him happy just to know she was there with him.

The whole time they were out, and even when they laid in bed at _their_ apartment, he was just as giddy and excited as he was in his youth. She was glad to see that side of him back; the side that she fell in love with.

Naruto and Sakura, after all they had been through, both together and separately, were finally happy. They found happiness not in themselves, but in each other.


	10. Epilogue

A/N: Well, here it is. This is the end of my Naruto fic. Honestly, I'm proud of mysef for comelting it in a timely manner, as well as the amount of effort I really put into it. I am even more proud of my fans and reviewers who stuck with it, even as I was learning how to properly format some of my work. Altough I have a lot to learn, what this experience taught me is always going to be an important part in my development as a writer. I cannot thank you all enough for seeing this through to the end!

Now, in regards to the next work, I am accepting ideas for oneshot prompts on my blog (alexanderthesubpar . tumblr . com)as well as on my account itself, so go ahead and send me some ideas if you'd like! Among those irregular publications I will be making, I plan on doing another long series; one that will be updated once a week or so for a few months. I want it to be long, as I want to gain experience with working on a single piece over a longer period of time. Either way, I'm looking into ideas for that as well, so it may take some time.

PS: Although I'm not sure if it's entirely necessary, I plan on bumping the rating to M. Again, not sure if I should, but I might as well just to be safe.

Anyway, here's the epilogue, and I hope you enjoy!

* * *

Azure skies with sparse clouds rolling across painted the backdrop nicely. The late summer heat had picked up, drying out the earth around them. The tall trees provided some cover from the sun as it beat down on the open field, birds chirping among the branches. The stream still flowed down the ends of the clearing, separating their space from the next field. There was enough territory for large team exercises within the confines of the chain-link fences, but it was clearly optimized for smaller engagements. It was a very peaceful setting, or at least for the time being. If it wasn't for the land's purpose, one could sit out here for hours just admiring the tranquility.

The clanging of metal broke the peaceful silence, sparks shooting out from two weapons colliding. One sword was wielded by a black haired ninja with a blood red gaze that could kill in an instant. The other weapon, a small blade, was wielded by a blonde haired shinobi, whose fighting style was unique to his own. Just as the two had in their previous clash, they lined up their attacks, thrusting into each other at incredible speeds. They traded blows for a while, mutually blocking each other in the process. Eventually, they would strike each other with such force that they'd send one or the other across the training field, skidding across the grass and dirt.

Naruto's flak jacket was scuffed up by the dirt after Sasuke had jettisoned him across the open field. He used a kunai to balance himself as he slid backward, careful to stop short of the small body of water behind him. He remembered using that same body of water as camouflage for himself and his clones back in his youth during the bell test, but he knew the Uchiha would remember that detail just as easily. Instead of using the cover, he opted for a more direct approach, charging forward at his opponent. They traded blows, which ended up with Naruto summoning a clone in an attempt to double team the Uchiha. With his sharingan active, the engagement was over quickly; Naruto's clone defeated and Naruto himself having to strategize once again.

"Wow, they're as evenly matched as they were last time!" A young boy shouted, looking to his sides at his comrades. Takashi was glad to see Naruto fighting again, especially as well as he was doing.

"Yeah, those two have been at it for almost twenty minutes. It's incredible to think they could go on like this for hours." Haru commented, looking back to her sensei. "Kakashi-sensei, who do you think is going to win?"

The silver haired man looked down at his pupil, a smile hidden by his mask. "I don't know, Haru. They're both pretty good. What do you think?" He looked to his left, casting his gaze slightly downward at his other old student. The pink haired girl was captivated by the performance of her two comrades, but her sensei's question broke her trance.

"You know whose going to win, Sensei." She looked down at Takashi and Haru, who were eager to hear her response. "And it isn't because I'm inclined to think he'll win _just_ because we're dating."

The final member of the team, Sadao, studied each of the two's movements, scanning them for any faults or weakness. He couldn't see any, albeit he wasn't a sensory type or had any special ocular powers, he was still very perceptive for his age. He remained silent, watching the two duke it out. He didn't care who won, but had a hunch that, if history was prone to repeating itself, Sasuke would have some sort of upper hand.

Sakura watched Naruto from afar and was fully impressed with his abilities, in more ways than just fighting. The past couple of months were challenging for him at times, but as of a few weeks ago, it seemed as if his condition had been settled. He hadn't had an episode in about a month, which was a new record during his recovery period. Even when he was exposed to stressful situations, Naruto was able to shrug them off and take them on headstrong, just as he used to. Memories of the past seemed to become just that; memories. He would never forget his experiences, but instead of sulking, he used them to his advantage. They kept him strong, just as he promised himself he would.

Given his current state, he was given missions more frequently. Sakura usually tagged along on them, taking careful note of his performance. At first, she was unsure about him, but in recent times he had become much more stable. He was more mature and patient, that's for sure, but when it was time to initiate combat, he was as excited as he ever was about it. It wasn't excitement to blow off steam, rather, excitement to test his strength. He would jump directly into the fray, usually in some sort of reckless display of power. That was something Sakura did want to change about him. She knew he always wanted to be healed by her and exclusively her, but she had to get him to understand that reckless wasn't always the best option, especially when she wasn't around. That was one part of his returning personality that did need work.

Regardless, she was amazed with his progress. Just as of two weeks ago, his medical documents were reanalyzed, changing his mental status from "Possible PTSD, Anxiety, Stressed, and Unstable" to "Healthy." Although she wasn't necessarily onboard with the original change in his mental description, she understood why they labeled him as such. "Unstable" wasn't meant to be an insult, but she could understand why he took it that way. He was unaware that his file even said that until they went in to get it changed two weekends ago. Nonetheless, he was happy.

Their relationship continued to thrive as well, with no incidents or arguments. They coincided perfectly, finding the dating scene to be much more relaxing than they imagined it would be. Their friends took the news well, happy to see that the two had, as described by Sasuke, "Finally decided to get on with it." Word broke out among the villagers, and soon, even people they had never met before would ask how they were doing. Although it seemed weird at first, they learned to accept it as a compliment, as it symbolized not only their care for each other, but the village's care for the two as well.

Naruto had met her parents before, but meeting them for the first time as her official boyfriend was something he was both looking forward to and sweating over. Fortunately, everything went smoothly. Naruto, although he was nervous at first, fit in perfectly with Sakura's father. Her mother also took a liking to him, as well as his appreciation for her cooking. At the end of it all, her parents gave the two the official "seal of approval," which was good enough for the couple. Although Naruto didn't have any family to introduce her to, he was sure to show off his girlfriend to those he saw as the closest he had to family. Tsunade was proud of Naruto for achieving one of his dreams, and she was equally as proud of Sakura for finally realizing her true feelings for the village hero. Iruka, who was seen as an older brother by Naruto, was also impressed, treating both of them to dinner one night.

Kakashi wasn't surprised, though he rarely was by anything. He was glad that "Everything seemingly worked out in the end," and that "They wouldn't end up alone." Although his choice in words left a little something to be desired, they knew their sensei was trying his best to give them his best wishes. They accepted them completely.

He warned them about the dangers of dating members of the same team, which he exposed to them while on a joint mission last week. He told them that, "whenever on a mission, don't go exploring your romantic life." It was the new Team Seven intercepting a convoy of bandits, with old Team Seven providing support. After completion of the mission, Sakura and Naruto supposedly "got lost" in the woods, only to be found by Sasuke as they were in the middle of a small make-out session. Sasuke returned to the camp with a disturbed complexion, which wasn't unnoticed by the Jōnin and his three Genin. All the young Uchiha could say was "I found them" before returning to his seat, unable to touch his food. To this day, he refused to discuss what he saw.

Sakura was embarrassed at the memory, but didn't let the thought control her. The sounds of clashing metal once more broke her trance. Naruto and Sasuke had managed to set each other up perfectly, just as they did last time: Sasuke activated his Mangekyō Sharingan, and Naruto unveiled his sage energy, which had been amassed by a clone in the woods.

"Wow, just like last time!" Takashi shouted, his fists up in excitement.

"How did Sasuke not expect that coming again?" Haru asked. Sadao only gave off a small "hmph," which essentially meant that he too was wondering the same thing.

The two legends glanced at each other from across the way. Sasuke smirked, and Naruto smirked back. He sheathed his sword, careful to adjust the holster so it wouldn't interfere with his moves. Naruto drew a fresh Kunai from his pouch, reading his stance while the Uchiha stood still.

"Just like before, right, Naruto?" Sasuke asked, preparing his eyes for another Genjutsu. He wasn't sure if Naruto would fall for it once more, but he figured it was worth the shot, as he had been storing up Chakra for it. Sakura and Kakashi, although reluctant at first, gave him the green light when it came to using that Genjutsu, as Sasuke learned how to control it, as well as what it would project. If Naruto was caught in it this time, it would only project memories that he believed were pleasant. Although this was somewhat useless in a real combat scenario, it would be perfect for a sparring match.

"Just a little different this time, Sasuke." Naruto replied, his voice booming with confidence. Sasuke slowly shifted his stance, preparing himself to leap. The two summoned chakra to their soles and lunged forward, dashing at each other quicker than they had any time before. The spectators were amazed by their speed, even though they had seen what they were capable of before.

The two, now only a few feet away, prepared to exchange blows. Naruto looked for an opening on his opponent, the face being the best option. He readied his fist, and readied his blade to deflect his if he drew it. Instead, Sasuke planted his right foot into the dirt, stopping him in his tracks. He spun around as Naruto looked back, catching his gaze in the process. Once their lines of sight passed, Sasuke unleashed the Genjutsu. Just as he did before, Naruto fell down to the earth, skidding and tumbling across the field. Sasuke looked on in disbelief that it actually worked, but pride in that he won once again.

"Oh, wow!" Haru exclaimed. "I can't believe he did it again!"

"Man, that was pretty anticlimactic. He's the hero of the village?" Sadao unleashed, his words containing zero malice, only disappointment.

"No way!" Takashi shouted, his voice quickly being subdued. "I can't believe he lost again. Come on, Naruto." The young boy was a little disappointed as well, although he knew it was wrong to be. Naruto had been his role model for the longest time, even back when he was in the academy. When he was assigned under Team Kakashi, he was ecstatic to learn that he was filling the place of the legend himself, and that his teammates would be forming the new Team Seven. He had a lot of work to do if he ever wanted to catch up, but he vowed to fight until he succeeded. To say Takashi's nindo was completely original would be a lie, as much of it was taken from Naruto's very own.

Takashi looked on at the man who landed flat on the earth, the sun beating down on him while his rival walked over to his body. Sasuke was planning to pick Naruto up and carry him over to the treeline, where Sakura could begin healing his minor injuries, provided the tailed beasts inside of him wouldn't finish the job in time. Sasuke thought Genjutsu couldn't work on a jinchuriki, but he figured his technique must've been powerful enough to block out any internal interference from the beast. Anyone on the outside, even the Genjutsu caster themselves, weren't capable of waking the victim, so he figured that had something to do with it.

"They didn't put any restrictions on this match, Naruto. I figured you would have tried a bit harder this time." He smirked. "Looks like it's the same old you falling for the same old tricks." Although he didn't want to bask in his victory too much, he took the victory in completely.

As Sasuke approached, now only a few feet away, Takashi watched in denial. He felt a hand grip his shoulder lightly, and he spun around out of instinct. Sakura had placed her hand there in reassurance, looking down at the boy with a smile.

"Hey, Takashi." She said bending over a bit and pointing out toward the field, causing him to look back at the two rivals who took center stage. "Don't count him out yet. He is the village's number one unpredictable ninja."

As if on cue, a cloud of smoke surrounded his limp figure, the infamous 'poof' echoing through the field. Sasuke looked down in confusion, until he realized what had happened. He readied his stance, waiting for an attack, but before he could fully check his surroundings, it came. A flash of yellow came from the trees behind him, and in an instant, Naruto appeared behind him. His body burned brightly, an intense yellow and orange flame covering him, transforming itself into a tattered cloak which traveled down to his knees. He was borrowing Kurama's power, though the two weren't in full synchronization. Naruto only borrowed enough to finish this battle, and that was all.

"No restrictions?" Naruto asked.

The Genin team was even more surprised now, completely taken back by his appearance. Even Sadao's expression broke its usually calm demeanor. Naturally, Takashi was the first to speak up.

"What is that?!" He asked, his voice excited by the blonde's apparent comeback. "It looks incredible!"

"Don't they teach you kids anything in the Academy these days?" Kakashi remarked, smiling at his own sense of humor. "Naruto has borrowed power from the tailed beasts inside of him. That's just the form he takes on when he does so."

"What about his attacks?" Haru asked, intrigued by his sudden transformation. This time, Sakura replied.

"Elevated, just like in sage mode, though, the attacks he can use now are easily ten times greater than those he implements while utilizing natural energy." The Genin were impressed, but eager to know more. "Just watch."

Sasuke spun around, drawing his sword and reactivating his Mangekyō. Naruto evaded, forming a small ball of energy into his hands. It was shades of red and purple, with the center of it appearing black. He lept into the air, catching the Uchiha off guard. Sasuke stumbled backward as he barely dodged the attack, which landed on the ground in front of him. The earth shattered, forming a sizable crater where he made impact. When the dust cleared, Sasuke searched for his opponent, along with the spectators. Naruto was nowhere to be found, no longer being stuck in the crater.

"A diversion?" Sasuke thought, scanning around him. He felt a small vibration of the earth, then suddenly, a pair of hands came up from the dirt and latched onto his feet. Behind him, the familiar sound of swirling chakra came rushing closer. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Naruto charging forward; Rasengan in hand. Sasuke used his sword to slice the hands of the clone beneath him, but it was too late. He couldn't dodge in time, and the Rasengan landed. It was very low powered, toned down by Naruto in an effort to end the match, but not end their friendship permanently. Sasuke was sent back roughly thirty feet, tumbling on the ground.

Sasuke stood up, grabbing his arm in pain. His flak jacket was now scuffed up worse than Naruto's, and by the looks of things, his blade was going to need realignment, as the once straightened edge was now curved slightly. It wouldn't even fully retract into his holster. Although Sasuke could continue on, he gave the victory to his rival. As soon as he surrendered, the Jinchūriki expelled the borrowed chakra, returning to his normal form. His flak jacket and black sleeves were scuffed up, along with his black pants which had small streaks of green at the knees.

Takashi roared, while Haru smiled at her excited teammate. Sadao was impressed, and was impressed with Naruto's performance. The two rivals met half way, reaching their hands out and interlocking two of their fingers. It was something every leaf shinobi was accustomed to, and to see Naruto and Sasuke accept each other like that was a fulfilling sight in itself. Sakura and Kakashi looked in in delight as the two rivals walk toward the small crowd. Sasuke immediately began speaking with Kakashi, who was asking him questions so his team could evaluate the entire battle. Naruto turned toward Sakura, who stayed a few feet away from the team's discussion.

"You were great out there." She said as he neared. He looked at her with his usual grin, something she was seeing much more of every day. "Now let me look at you."

"Checking me out, Sakura?" He said, teasing her as she began to inspect his wounds.

"Don't push it, buddy, or you'll end up in worse pain." She replied, a little bit of playful anger striking her words. "Besides," She whispered into his ear and she inspected his left arm. "The full body exam doesn't come until later." Naruto blushed at what she was implying. She heard zero complaints from him.

"So, Sakura, do you think I'm better?" He asked in a hushed tone, his words becoming a little more serious. "I mean, I know the documents say I'm better, but do you think I could still have…. Uh… Post- tramtic-"

"Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Naruto." She replied. "You'd think that once you were diagnosed with something you'd actually remember what it was called." After checking his back and right arm, she reappeared before him. She held his hands in hers, looking up into his beautiful cerulean eyes. "But to answer your question; yes. I think you're one hundred percent better." She smiled at the conclusion of her diagnosis, which was returned by Naruto tenfold. Not only was he glad to be cured, but that she was there every step of the way. If anything, it was a testament to their devotion to each other.

As if out of instinct, the two leaned in and began to kiss. It was originally intended to be a small peck on the lips, but it quickly escalated into a deepened sign of affection. The two were lost in each other's touch, not wishing for their moment to be ruined by anything. After a few seconds, their wishes were denied.

"Hey." Their sensei said, breaking free from his team meeting. They looked over at the squad in embarrassment, as they completely forgot about their presence. Kakashi seemed unfazed alongside Sadao, whereas Takashi and Haru smiled at the two in both happiness and humor. For a brief moment, they caught a glimpse of Sasuke's face. It was the same expression he made that eventful night on their conjoined operation; one of both agony and disgust. He looked away, refusing to watch the two. The couple remained still, unsure as to how they could explain themselves, especially to their sensei and three children. They weren't too worried about Sasuke.

"Why don't you two get a room?" Their teacher asked, a bit of playfulness marking his words. The couple looked at each other, and decided to take up their sensei's offer. Although Kakashi was kidding, he wasn't surprised by the two's eagerness to be alone, so he let them skip out on the rest of the team exercise. As they walked past Sasuke, Naruto made one final remark to the Uchiha.

"What you just saw, and what you saw last week…. That was payback for the Genjutsu." The blonde smiled at his own antics, whereas Sasuke looked like he wanted to immediately have another match with him. Kakashi came up behind Sasuke, grabbing his shoulder out of precaution.

"Just let them have their fun for now." He said, aware that the Uchiha wanted a little bit of payback. Sasuke decided that it would be best to get him back later for that. "Maybe you can get them something embarrassing for their wedding gift one day." Although that was far off in the future, Sasuke only imagines the possibilities, and inwardly accepted it. Among all the things Kakashi taught him, he would certainly remember that.

Naruto and Sakura, though eager to get home, once more chose to walk the dirt path back to the gates and their apartment. This time, it wasn't quiet. They made small talk as they held hands, passing happy villagers and a few companions on the way. Everything was perfect, and neither one of them wanted to break that.

To say they knew what they were doing would be a lie, as neither one of them were sure where this relationship would take them. Although they could make predictions and assumptions about all sorts of things, the two weren't sure what the future would hold, and in all honesty, they enjoyed it. The surprises of day to day living broke up the monotony, and during these peaceful times, that was more than welcomed.

-END-


End file.
